By DADA AYOKHAI
The popular cliche that “seeing is believing” was recently reenacted at the erosion sites in some parts of Etsako West local government of Edo State by the duo of Hon. Anamero Dekeri a.k.a. Danco and Gani Akokhia.
Hon. Anamero represents the Etsako Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives while Hon. Akokhia represents the Etsako West Constituency II, at the Edo state House of Assembly.
The duo decided to embark on an on-the-spot assessment of the erosion sites in Etsako to be able to make a convincing case for the affected communities.
However, as they saw the devastating effect of the erosion menace in most of the places visited, they were shocked at level of havoc wrecked on dwelling places, farmlands, roads, and other infrastructure which they described as inexpressible.
Even the two lawmakers were speechless during the tour. In the end, they could only mutter words of support to those affected.
The menace of gully erosion in Auchi and other parts of Etsako is not a recent phenomenon. It once captured national attention there was a level of pushback efforts during the tenure of comrade Adams oshiomole as governor of the state and the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration with the then Minister of Works , Arc Mike Ononolemhe .
At the Ayogwiri end of the Auchi- Agenenode road, the lawmakers were able to see how the widening crevices of the gully erosion have separated neighbouring communities, impacted negatively on farming and other livelihoods, washed off roads as well as destroyed commerce .
Still on the Ayogwiri end of the Auchi- Agenebode road, which is the worst hit, the road has been halved by the gully erosion, forcing otorists and pedestrians to seek alternative routes to access Fugar and Agenebode, even though such routes consume more travel time and transport fare .
The take-off point for the tour was the Auchi end and later extended to Apashio and terminated in Ayogwiri
A sober Hon. Akokhia, while addressing the people in Ayogwiri, after the tour, praised them for the patience and tolerance exhibited so far, and similarly assured them that the appropriate authorities are already adequately informed and that sooner than expected the needful will be applied.
Similarly, Hon. Dekeri a.k.a Danco reiterated the assurances given by his counterpart, saying that help is on the way for the troubled inhabitants
He added that NEMA and other relevant agencies have been duly notified and that they would soon visit the areas to assess the situation properly to determine the nature of the remedial work needed to alleviate the plight of the people
