Cross River: Akai Effa Gully Erosion Worsens As Monarch Cries Out To FG, Otu, Reps Member

Gully erosion ravaging Akai Effa community in Calabar Municipality Local Government Area of Cross River State has worsened, prompting the village head, HRH Henrietta Effa-Akpere, to raise the alarm and appeal to the Federal Government, Governor Bassey Otu, and the member representing Calabar South/Akpabuyo/Bakassi Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon. Joseph Bassey, for urgent intervention.

The monarch raised the alarm yesterday in Calabar after leading community elders to inspect two critical erosion sites. She said the disaster, which began more than five years ago, had assumed a frightening dimension following recent heavy downpours that threaten to cut off the community.

“It has been there, and we have been reporting it, even from when NEWMAP was there. We reported it, and they came here to inspect the area. It has been over four or five years since the gully fingers began. We did not know that the heavy rainfall would aggravate the situation,” she said.

She lamented that the worsening gullies had already wreaked havoc on the community, with flooding about three weeks ago destroying fish farms, poultry farms, and other investments worth over N100 million belonging to residents.

“Some people who have fish and poultry farms lost their fish due to the heavy rainfall. The rain wiped out all their produce, worth over N100 million. Among those who lost their farms to flooding are Surilaco, Dr. Henry Onwe, and others,” she stated, adding that many victims now have nowhere to stay.

“As I speak, many of the victims have nothing to eat or anywhere to stay because the erosion has threatened their homes,” she said.

While appealing to the Federal Government and Governor Otu to join hands to save the community from extinction, the monarch specifically called on Hon. Joseph Bassey, whom she described as a son of the soil, to return home and rescue his people before more lives are lost.

“My plea is that the Federal Government should join hands with the state government so that they can rescue these people. If the rain continues like this, many lives could be lost at any time,” she warned.

“The member representing us, Joseph Bassey, otherwise known as ‘Papa’, is my son. He lives in this community and knows most of these problems. Please, if there is any way they can reach him, he should come back home. The house is on fire. The lawmaker should come and help Akai Effa,” she appealed.