Flood cuts off 200 families in Anambra State , community appeals to Obiano

www.odogwublog.com reports that the ongoing Akpo-Mbaraoye Achina-Ogwu Nganga-Onne-Agbudu-Ogboji road awarded by former Governor Peter Obi and inherited by the Governor Willie Obiano has been cut off by gully erosion.

Flash flood causing gullies on the road necessitated by the abandonment of the road project in Achina Community, Aguata council area of Anambra state led to the cut off which affected over Two Hundred (200) families around Peter University of the Catholic diocese of Awka.

The families are finding it difficult to access their ancestral homes and could only park their vehicles at upland and trek kilometres home. The seven point kilometre road cuts across five major agrarian communities.

A community leader and Ichie Ezeagbakwosi ward Achina , Ichie Celestine Ezeanyim disclosed this when he visited the scene of palliative measures being carried out on the road by an illustrious son of the community, Nze Modestus Umenzekwe aka Onwa Achina. He said the 200 families are residents around Peter University of the Catholic diocese of Awka.

Ichie Ezeanyim commended Nze Umenzekwe for being selfless in carrying out the palliative on the road to enable visitors trooping into the community for the burial of a famous teacher and guardian, Late Nze Michael Uzoigwe Onunkwo aka Eziokwubundu at the age of 100. He urged him not to relent in doing well for the community as his rewards awaits him.

But Governor Willie Obiano has asked the Achina community to be patient as his government would do the road soonest.

Obiano’s Commissioner for Works, Marcel Ifejiofor gave the re-assurance when he was contacted on the development in Achina. He said: ‘’the road would soon be done. Don’t worry..’’.

Addressing newsmen on why he embarked on the emergency repairs on the road, Nze Modestus Umenzekwe said he was shocked when he returned to the village for the burial ceremony of late Pa Onunkwo, his in-law, but could not asses his home likewise others, hence he sourced for money and embarked on a palliative measures to reduce the suffering of his people. He said without the palliative, the burial would have been punishment rather than merry as the old man outlived his peers.

Nze Umenzekwe , a member of APC Anambra and Lagos states said Achina people were disappointed on the way the project has lingered , wondering why the people of Achina is being treated as a second class citizens even when they gave him a block vote Obiano during the elections.

‘’Obiano government has failed us. This road awarded by then Governor Peter Obi supposed to have been completed since four years ago because Obi completed from Ekwulobia through Nkpologwu-Achina to Umuchu from Mbraoye and Obiano added only a kilometre since then and abandoned the road. Now this is erosion was caused by the contractor because they wanted to add another kilometre and excavated the sand even reducing the length of the original size of the road thwarting the natural flow of flood.

Nze Umenzekwe regretted that the APC candidate Comrade Tony Nwoye would have done better for Achina and other communities on that road and appealed to Governor Willie Obiano to come to their rescue by fixing that road for Achina people.

On his part, the Chairman Umueziyi Achina Village meeting Lagos Branch, Mr Anthony Onyiliagha reminded that without Onwa Achina nobody would be accessing Nkwere Out road for decades as he does palliative on that road and has added a new one by doing the Mbaraoye Achina –Onne -Agbudu–Ogboji road to reduce the suffering of road users.

He informed that St Peter’s Achina was a popular school both as a Secondary School and as a TTC but regretted that development cut them off because of bad road and appealed for quick resolution of the road contract awarded over 5 years ago.

The traditional ruler of the community is Igwe Godwin Obiora and he too it was leant isn’t happy with the abandoning of the project.