Otti Seeks NDDC’s Intervention to Tackle Erosion in Abia

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

Following the unrelenting ravaging of many parts of Abia State by erosion, the state Governor, Mr. Alex Otti has asked for the assistance of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to tackle the problem.
Otti tabled his request before the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the NDDC, Dr. Sam Ogbuku, who paid him a working visit in company with some directors of the Commission.

A press release issued weekend by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Kazie Uko, said that Otti also urged NDDC to complete all its abandoned projects in Abia.
Ogbuku told the governor that he was in Abia with his team for the inauguration of the Aquaculture Training Centre in Umuahia on Friday and found it necessary to visit him.

While he thanked the NDDC boss and his delegation for the courtesy visit, Otti also felicitated Ogbuku on his appointment and subsequent confirmation to preside over the affairs of the interventionist agency.

Otti specifically used the opportunity to draw the attention of the CEO of NDDC  to some of its projects in Abia that were left uncompleted, adding that many parts of the state were still at the mercy of the erosion menace.

“In Abia we have a lot of challenges. The major ones are in few places like Aba, Umuahia, Isuikwuato and Umunneochi area – erosion,” Otti said.
He  cited the case of the erosion site at Ovom community in Aba, which cut a road into two, creating massive gully and collapsing  buildings in the area.

The Abia governor said that he had on Thursday issued an ultimatum for the residents of the erosion ravaged area to evacuate their homes for safety.

He explained that things were getting worse “because every day we are losing the road”, adding that “we would approach (NDDC), if it is possible, to assist us in dealing with the problem.”

On the NDDC abandoned projects, Otti noted that lack of funding stalled the projects, citing one of them close to his country home, which, according to him, had reached 40 per cent completion before funding ceased.

He pointed out that if the abandoned projects were left uncompleted, all the works that had been done by the NDDC would amount to a waste.

The Abia chief executive mentioned to the NDDC team the other projects in Aba, Arochukwu and Umuahia North Local Governments that were all abandoned as a result of the contractors being owed.

Nonetheless, Otti acknowledged the interventions that the NDDC had made in Abia, noting that though the state may not have got all it desired from the agency, it has every reason to be very grateful.

“If we take away the projects that had been undertaken by the NDDC, we would also realise that we would have been several years backward,” he said.