By Doris Oliver
Many of the gullies in Imo state are as a result of erosion caused by extreme rainfall and flooding, this has made the House seek for respite to the Alaocha Community of Eziama in Onuimo Local Government Area which has been devastated with erosion manace.
The above condition of Alaocha Community was made known at the plenary by the member representing Onuimo state constituency Hon. James Uba Esile, while presenting a motion titled ” Motion to Urge the Governor of imo state, His Excellency Sen. Hope Uzodimma to resue Alaocha Community in Eziama Okwe of Onuimo Local Government Area from devastating erosion menace, which has almost destroyed its major link road “
Hon. Esile pointed out that Alaocha Community has a major link road that connects two local government areas in the state and leads to Anambra.
As he observed that this “road allows vehicular movement from Alaocha to Umucheke Okwe and Umuchuri Eziama Okwe which are three different political wards in Onuimo LGA, and further leads to Umuduru -Egbeahuru town which is the fourth political ward in Onuimo LGA leading to Umuago and Umuobom communities in Ideato North LGA. He maintained that the same link road leads to Uga , Nnewi, and Onitsha towns in Anambra. “
Hon. James maintained that ” the road has become a very big death trap , and people living around where this link road is located are suffering and helpless. “
He stressed, ” Devastating erosion has taken and eaten more than half of the road, leaving only a very small and narrow lane for road users.”
James Uba expressed fear that if nothing is urgently done to arrest the situation, the remaining narrow lane would be eaten up by erosion and cut off before the end of this year’s rainy season.
While emphasizing that road drivers and other users may not be aware of the very bad condition of the road and would likely lose control and fall into ditch, especially while driving at night.
He beckoned on other members to support the motion urging the Governor His Excellency Senator Hope Odidika Uzodimma to direct ministry of works and that of Environment to visit the site of this erosion menace and seek ways to remedy the situation and provide them with the necessary logistics support to carry out remedial work while seeking for permanent solution.
After robust debate, the deputy speaker put the question and resolved accordingly. The Deputy Speaker directed the Clerk Chinelo Emeghara Esq to convey the House resolution to the Governor.
Also, a motion on urgent intervention on the devastating gully erosion in the Umuchima community and other parts of Ideato South Local Government Area was sponsored by Hon. Johnson Duru and seconded by Hon. Ernest Udeze.
Presenting the motion, Hon. Johnson Iheonukara Duru stressed that Umuchima Community has been ravaged by ecological disaster, that 80% of the community and other part of Ideato South L.G.A are on the verge of going into extinction and on daily basis significant portion of the land collapses below earth surface.
Johnson observed that the ” extent of the gully erosion devastation is so strong that lives and properties even living organisms in Umuchima community and environs are on the verge of extinction if immediate and urged steps are not taken.”
He opinionated that ” Umuchima gully erosion has greatly affected economic activities between Imo State and Anambra State , farms lands have been completely washed away including Graves and tombs of the dead even the house of a former chief judge of high Court was dismantled by the gully erosion.
Speaking in favor of the motion, Hon.Henry Agbasonu said that there’s a need for us to know the causes of this erosion. He pointed out that miners have dredged rivers to the point that it has become environmental hazards violating stipulated laws of mining and have gone beyond that coast limits of the rivers.
While Hon Clinton Amadi who opposed the motion hinted that “between 2011 and 2019 alot of billions were appropriated for roads in Ideato nation and for erosion control, but today our Governor Hope Uzodimma have constructed the Owerri to Okigwe road, Owerri to Orlu, there is justification for the funds appropriated on this road and Imolites are happy plying the road. In as much as we sympathize with the people of Ideato Nation over the gully erosion, we also want to know what happened to those funds appropriated before bearing in mind this is public money. We need to know the contractors and if they didn’t do the job they were paid for. He maintained that he is opposing the motion not because he has a thing against the Ideato nation but for accountability. “
After extensive debate, the Deputy speaker Rt.Hon Amara Iwuanyanwu put the question as follows
- Be It Resolved by this Honourable House to urge Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma to consider the imminence of rain this year and possibility of the entire community going into extinction if immediate and proper actions are not taken.
2 . To write a letter to the NEMA , FERMA, and Federal Ministry of Works to include the said road among roads that need emergency attention in the first quarter of this year, 2024.
The resolution was unanimously adopted sa the Deputy Speaker directed the Clerk Chinelo Emeghara Esq to convey the Resolution of the House to the Governor.
Earlier, the Deputy speaker made announcement on floor of the House of the recomposition of the Committees with the intention to give responsibilities to the new members who had just been inaugurated for an inclusion of the Minority Caucus of the House of Assembly, nothing that the present administration of the House of Assembly was all encompassing and holistic in it’s approach to legislative business.The Deputy Speaker also said some areas of governance also needed attention whereas the need for the creation of new Committees.
The new Committees and their Chairmen include:
1 Hon Johnson Iheonukara Duruu(Ideato South) -Religious Affairs,Ethics and Privileges
2 Hon Princewill Ugochukwu Amuchie (Aboh Mbaise and Minority Leader) Power
3 Hon Clinton Amadi (Owerri Municipal) Digital Economy and E-Government
4 Hon Kingsley Ozurumba (Isu) Labour Productivity and Civil Service.
The Deputy Speaker charged the new leadership of the Committees to resiprocate the confidence bestowed on them by the Rt Hon Speaker by giving their best to all oversight functions requiring their Committee’s attention.
It Important to note that the Deputy Speaker and member for Nwangele State Constituency Rt Hon Amara Iwuanyanwu stood-in for the Speaker Rt Hon Chike Olemgbe.
