Nnewi Indigenes Beg For Govt’s Intervention As Gully Erosion Eats Up Community Road

IZUNNA OKAFOR

Indigenes and residents of Umudim Nnewi, in Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State have pleaded for the urgent intervention of Governor Chukwuma Soludo, as erosion gully eats up a major access road in the town.

P.M.EXPRESS gathered that the said road, which used to be one of the busiest roads in Nnewi, is located at the Umuezena, Umudim Nnewi. It was also gathered that the road now records a very low usage, as motorists have resorted to using other alternative (though longer) routes in the area, than exposing themselves to risk by using that which has been described as a death trap.

This was corroborated by a video trending on the social media, which shows the road in a critical and dangerous condition while vehicles scarcely plies to and fro.

According to the video recorded by a concerned citizen of the community, the worst hit and most dangerous part of the road now is the Ukwaka Bridge through which the road passes.

The citizen, who did not identify himself, revealed that the underneath of the road and parts of the Bridge had been eaten up by the gully and washed away by flood.

While hinting that motorists who still ply the road expose themselves to risks, the citizen further warned that another heavy rain and flooding in the area may lead to a total collapse of the Bridge and the consequent division of the road into two parts.

He therefore called on the Governor Soludo-led Anambra State Government to come to their rescue before the unexpected happens on the road. He also called on the stakeholders in the community to urgently intervene and do something about the road before it becomes too late.

“This is a very big death trap. All the underneath are open while the coal tar still covers the up. And people riskily ply it, without knowing what the situation is under. So, please, once again, I call on our amiable Governor, Chukwuma Soludo and the stakeholders in Nnewi to come to our rescue on this road,” he said.

When contacted, the State Commissioner for Environment, Engr. Felix Odimegwu, assured of government’s urgent intervention on the road, while also noting that a team from the Ministry would be immediately sent to site for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation.