The Executive Governor of Abia State Dr. Alex Otti OFR has promised to take immediate action to arrest the gully erosion menace along Ovom Street Aba which has not only cut the road into two but created a long valley and collapsed many buildings and destroyed landed properties within the area.
Governor Otti who inspected the erosion site on Sunday 4th August, after a church service at Christ Ascension Church, at Long John Avenue, Ogbor-Hill, Aba, directed the General Manager, of Greater Aba Development Authority (GADA) to see him for immediate mobilisation of experienced engineers and contractors to find a lasting solution to the problem.
Addressing the press, Governor Otti said, “It’s very unfortunate that erosion has dealt a deadly blow in this area and the way it is going, if it is not controlled immediately it will not only affect all the buildings around here but also the opposite side of the road where we are building people’s road and we should be completing that road any moment from now”.
“So, we need to come very quickly and I have given the instruction to the General Manager of Greater Aba Development Agency and he should be meeting me later this evening so that we’ll start solving the problem in the next few weeks”.
“We are starting immediately, by the time we engage the engineers and contractors because it is not going to be done by direct labour. We need people who understand what to do. But I believe that it is something that we should deal with before the end of this year”.
Governor Otti disclosed that he had instructed the General Manager of the Greater Aba Development Authority to evacuate those living around there. “I had asked him to evacuate everybody that is living around here. So, if you look around these houses, there is nobody in there. Those who are very close here, I had already gotten them evacuated. So, I hope nobody goes back to some of these buildings because it’s very dangerous”, he stated.
Earlier at the Christ Ascension Church, Governor Otti said that he just come to worship and thanked the Church for their support. He assured the congregation of continued good governance as he promised them during electioneering which they are already experiencing since he assumed office.
The State Chief Executive told the joyful congregation that he got involved in politics to become a blessing to others as God has already blessed him. “People like us don’t normally come out to contest or show interest in politics because even if it sounded immodest, I was not looking for anything. But at some point, when God has blessed you, you need to make yourself available to be a blessing to other people. For me, that is the essence of politics”, Governor Otti remarked.
The presiding Pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Chika Mba led the Church in a fervent prayer for the Governor, his entourage and the State.
Governor Otti used the opportunity to thank the congregation as he did at the Seventh-Day Adventist Church a day earlier for heeding to his plea of not joining the ongoing hardship protests in different parts of the country that have resulted to deaths of some Nigerians and destruction of property. He reaffirmed his acknowledgment of people’s fundamental right to peaceful protest to express their grievances over unfavourable situations but maintained that there are several ways to protests without necessarily pouring out on the streets which hoodlums take advantage of most times to unleash violence on the people.
“What I appealed for is a more responsible way of protesting, a way of protesting that will not endanger the lives of our young men and women. And, I have heard about the ongoing protest around the country, people have sent me mails, sent me messages. If you had poured out on the street, chances were that you will be infiltrated and a peaceful protest can become violent”, the Governor stated.
Governor Otti was joined on the inspection of the erosion site by the Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa, the Lawmaker representing Aba Central State Constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Ucheonye Stephen, the General Manager of the Greater Aba Development Authority (GADA) Arch. Uche Ukeje, the Mayor of Aba North, Ide John Udeagbala, the Abia State Acting Chairman of the Labour Party Sir Emmanuel Nwaeze Otti, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Transport, Dr. Obioma Nwaogbe, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Cooperative Societies Hon. Ismael Onuoha and others.
Ctz. Ukoha Njoku Ukoha
Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Governor of Abia State.
04-08-2024.
