HOW THE ODUDA-NNEWICHI WAS SAVED FROM THE MENACE OF A DEVASTATING FLOOD AND EROSION.

.....THE COMMUNITY THANKS GOV WILLIE OBIANO FOR HIS QUICK RESPONSE.

..... AND EXTOLS HON SIR MELIE ONYEJEPU FOR FACILITATING IT.

By Bona Ogbonna

The Mbana-akwu Oduda Erosion which has been there for a long time, is an offshoot of the main flood that went right inside part of Oduda. It was as a tributary of the flood that came down from Awka-etiti, part of Oraukwu and Adazi through Nnobi. It passes through Oduda to Obiofia and Okpuno Nnewichi.

HOW THE STATE GOVT INTERVENED

Noticing the active nature of the Erosion Site, the community cried out for assistance from the State Government, and quickly approached Hon Sir Melie Onyejepu for his intervention. Hon Melie upon receiving a letter from the community, informed the hard working Governor of the State, Chief Willie Obiano for the State's intervention. The pictures of the Site was so disturbing to the Governor that that he promptly requested the Ministry of Environment to quickly interven and solve the problem. With the active support of the then Commissioner for Environment, Chief Michael Okonkwo who quickly appraised the situation and awarded a contract to an indigenous local contractor. This timely intervention, saved many properties which were already at verge of collapse.

CONTRACT AWARDED TO A LOCAL AND INDIGENOUS CONTACTOR

The contract was awarded to Godlina Engineering Services Ltd, a very competent and indigenous local company, and they have done 80% of the job by bringing the Erosion under control and hence stabilizing the area. One will be marvelled at the quality of the work being done by the contractor, because no one believed that a local and indigenous contactor has the capacity and competence to do such quality job.

The State Government in collaboration with the NEWMAP has been able to contain the Obiofia/Okpuno portions of the major Erosion menace. The project is costing the State Government and World Bank a woofing sum of#6.7b

The State Government is also working with NEWMAP to make sure that the Erosion is also controlled from the head of the slope, which is at Abubor down to Oduda so that it will connect with the one they are intervening in at Okpuno and Obiofia.

One of the saved property owners at the Mbana-akwu Oduda Erosion Site under construction through the Ministry of Environment, Chief Obiora Okeke JP, couldn't curtail the happiness and joy welling up in him because of this wonderful intervention by Gov Obiano. He thanked the State Government immensely for coming to their rescue. He equally appreciated Hon Sir Melie Onyejepu for facilitating the project.