The House of Representatives, on Thursday, declared Ideato North/South federal constituency of Imo State as an erosion and road disaster zone, calling for urgent intervention from Federal Government and relevant agencies to save Ideato from total collapse.
The House stated this while adopting a motion on the need to “Call for Intervention to Address the Gully Erosion and Road Disaster in Ideato North/South Federal Constituency,” sponsored by the member representing the constituency, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere Ikeagwuonu, at the plenary on Thursday.
Moving the motion, Ugochinyere noted that Section 14 (2) (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) states that the primary purpose of government is to protect the lives and properties of the citizens.
He also noted the devastating impact of the gully erosion and road disaster in Ideato Federal Constituency, affecting over 32 communities, including Umueshi, Amanator, Urualla, Isiekenesi, Isiokpo, Umuaghobe, Ozuomee, Obodoukwu, Arondizuogu, Akokwa, Umumaisiaku, Umuobom and surrounding areas.
He expressed concerns that the communities in Ideato North/South Federal Constituency are currently facing gully erosion and road infrastructure collapse, threatening their lives and access to essential services like healthcare, education, and trade.
He said, “Alarmed that the gully erosion and road infrastructure collapse has worsened, destroying homes, farmlands, causing total road collapse, in Umueshi-Amanator-Isiekenesi road, particularly the Urualla gigantic erosion sites 1, 2, and 3, which is currently threatening to sink the heart of Urualla and Afor Urualla, Umueshi, Amanator, Isiekenesi, Isiokpo, Umuaghobe, Ozuomee, Obodoukwu, Arondizuogu, Akokwa, Umumaisiaku communities and Umuobom Bridge.
“Recalls that Ideato land is home to influential national figures and patriots like Mbaonu Ojike, K.O. Mbadiwe, Elochukwu Njaka, Collins Obi, Ferdinand Anaghara, and Maduakor, hence the need for urgent intervention to preserve their ancestral heritage.”
He commended the Federal Government’s previous intervention at the Umuchima gully erosion site, which has been taken over by the Imo State government.
“Aware that the erosion has destroyed lives and properties and if nothing is done urgently to curb the menace more lives and properties will be lost,” Ugochinyere argued.
Adopting the motion unanimously, the House, therefore, urged the Federal Government to declare Ideato Federal Constituency an erosion and road disaster zone, and take drastic steps to curtail gully erosion and road collapse in the communities in Ideato North/South Federal Constituency.
The lawmakers also urged the Federal Ministries of Works and Environment, Ecological Fund Office, Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and the South East Development Commission (SEDC) to embark on immediate intervention, rehabilitate, reconstruct and carry our remedial works on the Umueshi Amanator-Isiekenesi gully erosion and collapsed road, including Urualla gigantic gully erosion sites 1, 2, and 3, Afor Urualla communities, Isiokpo gully erosion, Umuaghobe, Umumaisiaku, Akpulu, Akokwa, Obodoukwu and Arondizuogu gully erosion and collapsed road, and the sinking bridge in Umuobom.
They further urged the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide relief materials for the displaced victims of the gully erosion in Ideato North/South Federal Constituency in Imo State.
The House also mandated its Committees on Works, Emergency and Disaster Preparedness, Environment Ecological Fund, South-East Development Commission (SEDC) and Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to ensure compliance with the House resolutions and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.
