Civil Defence, Community Struggle To Rescue Anambra Road From Erosion

Officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC) Ogbaru Division in Anambra State have taken measures to save lives of motorists and passengers plying Atani road in Ogbaru from untimely death by patching the road and mounting warning signs.

Users of Atani road in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State have cried for urgent intervention as erosion threatens to split the road, a major road, into two.

A trader in the area, Moses Nwachukwu, told THE WHISTLER that the road had become a nightmare for motorists and residents of the area.

Nwachukwu said it would have suicidal impact if any vehicle or motorcycle should fall into the gully due to the depth, adding that “it will definitely be catastrophic because of the depth of the erosion. The problem is that no agency wants to intervene until it is too late. I believe something can still be done to rescue the situation.”

A motorist, Charles Aruma, who plies the road regularly warned that if the erosion menace was not checked, the forthcoming rainy season would cause untold hardship to the people of the area.

He said, “The rainy season is about to start. Every rainy season, this erosion advances gradually. This time around, it has got to an emergency situation. I believe various agencies and governments would listen to our cries before it is too late.

“We have been piling dustbins and other measures to prevent its escalation but all those would wash away as soon as rain start. Gov. Willy Obiano and President Muhammadu Buhari should act now.”

THE WHISTLER witnessed efforts of officers and men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC) Ogbaru Division, to put palliatives on the affected portions.

The corps, led by the Ogbaru Divisional Officer, Egboka Celestine, was seen fixing various “danger signs” to sensitize the public on the dangers posed by the road.

The public relations officer of the NSCDC, Anambra State Command, Edwin Okadigbo, told our correspondent that the action was in accordance with the NSCDC Act 2003 which empowers the corps to provide necessary warning for the civilian population in terms of dangers, detect and demarcate any danger zone to avert associated havocs.

The Atani road is on the verge of splitting into two and the coming rains may hasten this condition.

Okadigbo said the corps had demarcated the erosion-threatened portions of Deeper Life junction, and Odo Rubber Iyiowa Odekpe, Ogbaru, aimed at drawing the attention of road users to the dangers in order to take precautionary measures.

He said the division had also called the attention of the transition chairman of Ogbaru LGA over the matter.

“We are drawing the attention of governments at all levels on the need to take prompt action(s) on time to avert the impending disaster.”