Five Abia communities in Uzuakoli of the Bende Local Government Area are seeking the intervention of the Federal Government and Abia State, as well as Bende LGA authority as three erosion sites have devastated resideta.

The communities – Amamba, Ngwu, Amankwo, Agbozu and Eluama – at a gathering of residents at two erosion sites in Amamba where six bungalows collapsed, said the problems started over eight years ago.

The President General of Ohabuike Amamba community, Nelson Umezurike, said, “The community has been doing handling the issue themselves while waiting for the intervention of the government. However, what is happening presently is something that we never expected “.

He said the area of the gathering was designated as a residential area some years back, and people have already started developing their properties before the incidents started.

“When the erosion started, we never kept quiet as a community. We tried to carry out palliatives. We spent more than N7 million to repair this place. Unfortunately, within two or three weeks, the volume of the flood water coming this way swept it away”.

He attributed the aggravation of the erosion to road contractors that worked on roads in the community, who he said, channelled their drainage water to the area.

He said, “When we protested and asked them to link the drainage channel to the discharge point we had established, our advice was ignored.

“And again, what really caused the other wing we visited, the contractor that did the road as well, made a mistake. Instead of connecting to the right channel, they just stopped somewhere. That was the beginning of this problem. And today, you can see the magnitude of what has happened here. It is beyond the reach of the community.

“In 2019, our people had mobilised more than N60 million after seven buildings had collapsed. We carried out another palliative measures. Unfortunately, again, the same thing that happened with the first one happened again. We lost our investment through the overpowering flood.”

He appealed to the federal, state and local governments, pointing out that the current situation was more than what the community could handle.

“We are also appealing to the Ecological Department of the Presidency, to the National Assembly through our representative, Senator, Orji Uzor Kalu , and the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, Gov. Alex Otti and the state House of Assembly to come to our assistance.

“This disaster is gradually rendering people homeless. This particular place has swallowed about seven buildings, and the thing continues to increase every day. Anytime that there is rain, we will not sleep without two eyes”.

As the President General of Eluama Uzuakoli, Onyebinanma Sunday Onyebinanma pleaded for governments’ intervention, victims of the erosion menace, including Okechukwu Nwosu, Chisaraokwu Onyeanusi, and Chinechere Ohaeri also cried for help.

The state Commissioner for Environment, Philemon Asonye, said the state government has visited the sites.

He added, “The government is going to do all it can to ameliorate the challenges. We advise the community not to do anything to aggravate the problem, like dumping refuse into the sites.”