Ogbonnaya Ikokwu
Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has moved to tackle the gully erosion menace on Ovom Street, Aba, which had cut the street into two and created a long valley leading to the collapse of many buildings in the area.
Governor Otti said this while on an inspection tour of the erosion site on Sunday, after a church service at Christ Ascension Church, at Long John Avenue, Ogbor-Hill, Aba.
He subsequently directed the General Manager of the Greater Aba Development Authority to see him for immediate mobilisation of experienced engineers and contractors to find a lasting solution to the menace.
The governor said, “Unfortunately, erosion has dealt a deadly blow on this area and the way it is going, if it is not controlled immediately, it would not only affect all the buildings around here but also the opposite side of the road, where we are building people’s road and we should be completing that road any moment from now.
“So, we need to come very quickly and I have given the instruction to the General Manager of Greater Aba Development Agency and he should be meeting me later this evening so that we can start solving the problem in the next few weeks.
“We are starting immediately, by the time we engage the engineers and contractors because it is not going to be done by direct labour. We need people who understand what to do. But I believe that it is something that we should deal with before the end of this year.”
Otti also disclosed that he had instructed GADA to evacuate those living around there.
He said, “I had asked him to evacuate everybody living around here. So, if you look around these houses, there is nobody in there. Those who are very close here, I had already gotten them evacuated. So, I hope nobody goes back to some of these buildings because it’s very dangerous.”
Earlier at the Christ Ascension Church, the governor said that he just came to worship and thanked the church for their support. He assured the congregation of continued good governance, as he promised them during electioneering, which they have already experienced since he assumed office.
He told the joyful congregation that he got involved in politics to become a blessing to others, as God has already blessed him. He added, “People like us don’t normally come out to contest or show interest in politics because even if it sounded immodest, I was not looking for anything. But at some point, when God has blessed you, you need to make yourself available to be a blessing to other people. For me, that is the essence of politics.”
The presiding pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Chika Mba, led the church in a fervent prayer session for the governor, his entourage and the state.
Otti was joined on the inspection of the erosion site by the Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa, the lawmaker representing Aba Central state constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Ucheonye, GADA General Manager, Arch. Uche Ukeje, the Mayor of Aba North, Ide John Udeagbala, the Abia State acting Chairman of the Labour Party, Sir Emmanuel Nwaeze Otti, the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Transport, Dr. Obioma Nwaogbe, the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Cooperative Societies, Hon. Ismael Onuoha, among others.
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