Erosion: Four Years Old Drowns In Uyo Community

Paulinus Nta, A’Ibom |

A four year old girl has been swallowed by rampaging flood-filled erosion, in Ekpri Nsukara Offot, in Uyo Local Government area of Akwa Ibom.

Lamenting the incidence in tears Village Head of Ekpri Nsukara Offot, Eteidung Emem Denis Asikpo appealed passionately to the State Governor, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno to save them from the erosion hazards.

The village head explained that it is always a period of “hue and cry” in Ekpri Nsukara Offot, whenever rainy season sets in, as heavy downpour washes off some streets and swallow houses in the affected areas, chasing away inhabitants from their homes for weeks and sometimes months.

He said, “It is a very sad situation as you have witnessed. That is the situation we face for some years now when rainy season begins.

Some streets in our community like Akpakpan Street, Mission Road and other adjoining streets, are cut off from the city and business activities crumble. Residents can’t access their houses with cars or motorcycles any longer ply.

Some fences and houses have either been destroyed or flooded, while farmland are being submerged.

Residents in the affected areas face great risks in navigating to their houses when it rains especially at night.”

Eteidung Asikpo said the ugly development has made Ekpri Nsukara Offot, which sits along the Nwaniba Road axis of Uyo Capital City and a co-host of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO), to face the threat of a potential gully erosion with its dire consequences of land degradation and environmental erosion.

“We had earlier cried out that the fast-evolving gully erosion in parts of our community has cut off some streets from being accessible to motorists. It has also destroyed fences, while some houses have been flooded and others on the verge of being submerged, ” he added.

Some institutions of learning, including the community-owned Ekpri Nsukara Offot International Schools (ENISCO), and some private establishments are also under serious threat of devastation and possible submersion if the erosion is not addressed as soon as possible.

The village head further lamented that indigenes and residents so far affected by the erosion menace are now helpless, exposing his community to serious environmental, health hazards, except urgent remedy is provided by the government.

According to him,” We appeal to the government to provide both remedial and permanent solutions to save lives, houses and other properties from further destruction.

Meanwhile, the flood has converted large acreage of farmlands in the community to stagnant rivers with no immediate hope of the lands being utilized, except when construction work commences to channel out the rainwater.

However, he expressed hope that the administration of Pastor Eno will salvage the community from the perennial erosion menace as the governor has shown tremendous concern through his ARISE Agenda to address challenges facing the people and communities as well as develop rural areas.