“We want to use this medium to humbly appeal that you please save our souls from a gully erosion which has eaten deep into our buildings, some of which had already caved in.

“Your Excellency, some of us are retired Civil Servants with children and our only asset are our house, now faced with the threat of being washed off at every rainy moment.

“You can imagine what life has become for some of us."

They had gathered and waited patiently for the emissary of the government.

They could no longer hold in their grief but they managed to walk the thin line dividing complains and curses.

Residents of Afaha Oku Community in Uyo Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom have asked state authorities to live up to their responsibilities and end cases of gully erosion.

The Chairman, Afaha Oku Village Council, Oscar Ekpanya, said that the residents of Akpan Eton and its adjoining street in Afaha Oku may be isolated from other communities if nothing urgent is done.

“It is quite disheartening to see many Akwa Ibom families lose their homes, as we fear the entire street may not survive the 2018 rainy season.

“In the interim, some of us who are badly threatened have strong need to relocate our families to safe areas until the erosion and the fast encroaching gully would have been taken care of.” the community said in a statement.

The community also appealed to the Niger Delta Development Commission intervene through a palliative measure to prevent further encroachment.

They also expressed fear that the area may not survive the next rainy season.

Source: http://news.bounce.ng/Content/sos-this-akwa-ibom-community-may-not-survive-the-next-rainy-season-20171122

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