Scores of protesting women from three villages in Imobi autonomous community, Uturu, Abia State have insisted among others on the conduct of environmental impact assessment of the site of a proposed quarry in the community.
Speaking through, Florence Uka, Nene Orieji, and Nkechi Uwakwe, they said the result of the assessment would go along way to determine the suitability and consequences of the quarry, and the remedies.
The women who are mostly farmers and carried placards with various different inscriptions, noted how the siting of the quarry would negativity affect their health and farms which is their main means of livelihood.
”Activities at the quarry site will not only affect us health wise, but will also have serious negative impacts on us economically through destruction of our cassava, yam, and plantain farms,” Uwakwe added.
According to them, some individuals from one of the villages want to take over the site without the notice, consent, and approval of the traditional ruler, Eze Simeon Chukwuemeka.
They, therefore, urged the state governor, Alex Otti, the security agencies, and stakeholders of the community to intervention in the matter to ensure it does not get out of control.
In his reaction, the monarch, confirmed that those behind the move went to Abuja negotiated and signed a letter inviting a company to come and open the quarry without his knowledge and consent.
Represented by the secretary-general of Imobi Progressive Union, Adindu Kalu, he appealed to the state government “to prevent a few individuals from hijacking our communal resources”.
He explained that his people, as law-abiding, believe in peaceful way of expressing and presenting their concern before the government hence the peaceful protest.
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