The country home of the former Vice President.

FORMER Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme has attributed the worsening erosion menace in his community, Oko in Anambra State to lack of follow up after the initial intervention which was done 30 years ago when he was in power.

Ekwueme stated this while fielding questions with our reporter at his home town, Oko, who was there on a fact finding visit over the Oko erosion menace.

The former number two man, who was visibly unhappy over the threat posed by the erosion said "the first erosion control measures done by the Federal Government were done by our government. We did it at Amucha in Imo state, Uyo coastal erosion control and in Gombe among others. We started ecological fund. Ecological fund is the allocation system introduced by our government.

"Unfortunately, when we were hounded out by the military, they did not follow up with subsequent phases but the intercession drainage we did kept the erosion in Oko at bay for 30 years.

"If you go there, you will see how frightening it is. We hope the Federal Government will do something about it. They have already started work on the other side of the valley at Nanka, a neighbouring town. They have worked down to the bottom of the valley separating the two towns.

"But unless they do something inside that bottom line, the next rainfall will destroy all the work already done with N2 billion and all that would be wasted. So it is important that something is done urgently on the Oko side to prevent the work already done on the Nanka side ending up in an abortive effort".

Also speaking at the erosion site, former Secretary General of Ndigbo, Chief Joseph Achuzia said, "you can see that the alarm I raised is not misplaced. I am here at the site waiting for the arrival of the national assembly committee on environment who are coming to see things for themselves.

"I read some of the comments made in the social media saying this and that, and I have no regret to raise the alarm.

"As the Secretary General of IPOB worldwide, I am concerned about what is going on my territory beside the fact that Ekwueme was a former number two man in this country.”

Source: akwaibomnewsonline.com