David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
His Royal Majesty, Eze Uche Elekwa, Akukwu 1 of Isiaku Alayi in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State has made a fresh passionate appeal to the Chairman of the Council and other government agencies to come over to the community to help them after being devastated by earth tremor a few days ago.
The royal father said what members of his community needed most now were for the government to sink boreholes for them as their streams were polluted and inaccessible and for experts to visit the community to ascertain whether they should relocate or not.
He said the government should assist the villagers in any way possible whose cash, economic trees and plantations were damaged by the tremor. He said the villagers needed help to open up a new road to access their farmlands “because hunger and starvation now stare at their faces.”
The monarch said residents of Elugwu, Amato, Obuofia, and Obuchie which are the communities that makeup Isiaku Alayi now live in fear and not knowing what might happen the next moment.
He said it was wrong to hold the impression that the government had not been informed about the incident. “It’s just that we are waiting for their reaction.”
Some of the residents who spoke to Our Correspondent on phone said they were afraid of an outbreak of water-borne diseases in the community since they could not access their streams anymore and could not also access their farmlands.
They called on National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, Federal Government, Distinguished Senator representing Abia North Senatorial Zone and Chief Whip, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu whose own community is close to the crisis area to come to the rescue of the victims especially in the area of sinking borehole for them.
Recall that earth tremor some days ago devastated Elugwu Amankalu Alayi now Elugwu Isiaku Alayi in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, destroying economic trees, cash crops, farmlands and the community’s only source of potable water.