By Juliana Nwachukwu
Anambra State government has commenced tackling of gulley erosion that has for months now, threatened Ogbaru Relief Market, Ogbaru Local Government Area in a bid to ensure better welfare for traders and residents.
Not less than 10 shops have reportedly caved in as a result of the flood that emptied into the gulley erosion, causing the exhumation of the underground electrical cables, uprooted electric poles and is about cutting off the by-pass road of the Onitsha/Owerri road.
Reacting, the Chairman of the market, Chief David Obidike, expressed satisfaction that Gov. Soludo has eventually come to their rescue, adding that the flood has helped the gulley erosion to cause more harm to the traders.
“The market is situated in the notorious Upper Iweka axis and the damages caused by the erosion if not have been checkmated, criminals would have taken over the market. So we commend our able Gov. Soludo for being a solution to our problem.
“The level of damages caused by the erosion was above me and that was why the traders and I called on the Governor, through his hard-working Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Hon. Obinna Ngonadi, and the erosion is presently being tackled.
”About 10 shops have caved in, electric poles uprooted and underground cables were also exhumed by the erosion that is within the Sakamori drainage system in the market.”
According to him, the Governor has done us proud and we can only suffer to rebuild the 10 shops . Though there are other minor erosion threats but work on the most worrisome is almost being completed by the Governor.
”Just the last rain washed away some of the materials used for the project but we can’t ask rain not to fall, it is its time but the joy is that the work is on finishing touches and the traders are happy.
“If not for the water-tight security we have in the market, criminals would have capitalized on the ugly situation to take over the market. Thank God that since I assumed office nobody has complained that his shop has been burgled or wares stolen.”
