Aguleri-Otu communities have staged a peaceful demonstration against a Chinese company whom they alleged are engaging in illegal dredging at Odene Agbanabo bridge.
Aguleri-Otu communities comprise of Eziagulu-Otu, Mkpunando and Enugwu-Otu Aguleri.
The three communities are all in Anambra East Council Area but live across the river and are always at the mercy of flood every rainy season.
Amaka Chibuzor Okoye reports that the traditional rulers of the three communities, members of the ruling councils, youths and women trooped out en-masse to protest against the company while warning that the bridge risks collapse by the activities of the dredgers whom they alleged are being sponsored by some few individuals.
They said that the foot of the bridge is already damaged and that if the bridge is allowed to collapse it will cut off the three communities from the rest of the state as the two-point-eight-kilometer bridge which was constructed by the immediate past administration of Governor Willie Obiano in 2015, remains the only route and access to their communities.
ABS crew also observed that the tarred road connecting the bridge and the base of the bridge have started collapsing, owing to the heavy-duty vehicles and caterpillars reportedly being used by the dredgers.
The bridge to seek government’s speedy intervention before the dredgers cause them more harm, the traditional ruler of Eziagulu-Otu Aguleri, Igwe Lawrence Nwofia said that before the bridge was constructed, their communities found it difficult to come to the upland to access healthcare and also bring out their agricultural produce until they were remembered by the then state government.
Igwe Nwofia commended Governor Chukwuma Soludo for his interventions so far to ensure that dredgers and their activities are put on hold and pleaded that every effort should be made to ensure that the company vacates the area as allowing them to continue is a threat to the lives of members of the communities.
On his part, the traditional ruler of Mkpunando, Igwe Johnson Mbanefo disclosed that the highest thing the three communities have benefited from the government is the bridge and restated their resolve to keep protecting the bridge against activities that threaten its existence.
Igwe Mbanefo called on the indigenes of the communities who are collaborating with the dredgers to wreak havoc to desist as the benefit they may be getting from the business today will turn to doom if the bridge collapse tomorrow.
Contributing, the traditional Prime Minister of Eziagulu-Out Aguleri, Chief IKC Chukwuma said that they had approached the companies to leave the site to no avail, explaining that the protest is to send a “save-our-soul” message across to the government at all levels.
Representing the Ruling Councils and Ndi Ojiana of the three communities, the Secretary General, Enugwu-Otu-Mkpunando Ruling Council, Chief Nnaemeka Onyemelikam said that peaceful demonstration is to register that the three communities are against the dredgers while pleading with Governor Soludo to act immediately to force the company to leave the bridge.
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