Some leaders of Ogbaru Local Government Area in Anambra State have raised alarm over serious erosion threatening residential and public buildings in nine communities within their area.
The leaders, who said that more than 160 buildings have been affected by erosion, attributed the cause of the problem to the deployment of heavy dredging machine in River Niger for sand dredging by Julius Berger Construction Firm, handling the second Niger Bridge project.
Chief Nwachukwu Ossai, spokesperson of the group told journalists on Monday at Okoti Odekpe in Ogbaru Local Government Area that nine communities on the coastal line of River Niger are now experiencing serious erosion menace.
He said this is due to the deployment of heavy dredging machine for the excavation of sand from the River Niger, adding that the river is now overflowing its bank thereby pulling down private and public buildings.
The spokesman pointed out that their concern is that a multi-national company like Julius Berger should be aware that some embankments must be constructed to check obvious spill over of water after the dredging, but that they ignored that because according to him, the black man’s life does not matter to them.
Ossai, a civil engineer, claimed that the community leaders had in their engagement with the company’s officials, demanded for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the ongoing second Niger Bridge, but the firm refused to provide the document.
According to him, areas currently experiencing erosion are; Odekpe, Atani, Akili Ozizor, Ochuche, Ogbakuba, Umunankwo, Ossomala, Obagwe, Akili Ogidi and Ogwu-Ikpele.
Mr Emma Mbieli, another community leader, claimed that officials of the company in alliance with some senior officials of Federal Ministry of Works in Anambra and Dredging firm were involved in the sales of sand excavated from the river.
Mr Mbieli, ex-secretary of Ogbaru Local Government Area, observed that as a result of excessive dredging activities, some residents are already recording erosion when the timing for perennial flooding usually recorded in the area had not reached.
Chief Peter Okala and Mr Sylvester Nsofor, called on the Federal and Anambra Governments to urgently look into the plights of Ogbaru people before the problem degenerates to a more serious disaster.
Chief Okala said Ogbaru people were happy for the construction of the bridge, but poor treatments being given the community was now heartbreak to residents.
In his reaction, Mr Ajani Adeyemo, Federal Controller of Works, Federal Ministry of Works, Anambra State, said the sand being dredged from the river by B and Q Dredging, a sub-contractor engaged by Julius Berger was used for the filling of the access road of the new bridge.
He said though he cannot speak for Julius Berger or B and Q Dredging on the sales of sand for private gains, the ministry official said the community leaders were yet to inform them of any existing embankment collapse.
However, journalists said all efforts made to reach Julius Berger Project Director, Mr Fredrich Wieser, via short message service and calls through his cell phone number were not successful.
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