Controversial Isuikwuato Erosion Project: See who truly attracted it

The approval of the sum of N896,959,169.75 for Isuikwuato gully erosion in Isiukwuato Local Government Area of Abia State by the Federal Executive Council is currently facing controversial claims on who attracted it as the duo of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah including Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejiocha are currently battling, laying claims to being responsible for attracting the Project to Abia State.

Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejiocha's claims to being the one who attracted the project is hinged on the fact that the Federal House of Representatives had earlier task Ministries and Agencies of Government On Gully Erosion in Abia Communities with a mandate to this Agencies to rise up to the task of securing the environment. The resolution to mandate this Agencies was reached as a result a motion under order eight, rule 52 (5) brought by Nkeiruka Onyejeocha drawing the lawmakers attention to what she called, "Devastating Gully Erosion in Isuikwuato and Umunneocha Local Government Areas of Abia State "

As contained in the resolution , the House of Representatives urged the Federal Ministries of Environment and Works, the Federal Road Maintenance Agency and other relevant agencies to take urgent actions to avert the impending disasters occasioned by gully erosion in Nkwonta and Umunnekwu communities in Isuikwuato Local Government Area of Abia State. this was in September 2015.

AFNEWS has also sighted a reply from Ecological Fund Management Committee (EFMC) acknowledging a letter written by Honorable Nkiruka Onyejeocha as regards the said erosion in Isuikwuato.

On the other side of the story, the Honorable Minister of State, for Mines and steel development Hon.Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah who hails directly from Isuikwuato Local Government Area in Abia State has almost laid claim to being behind the project.

According to our source, the minister pushed for the project through his contacts as a member of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

We were also informed that the minister likewise wrote series of letters as regards the erosion challenge of Isuikwuato which the source claimed resulted to the action taken by the federal government.

Meanwhile, the senator representing Abia North senatorial district, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu has also maintained that he is the brain behind the said project.

According to Abacityblog, "Kalu, had in a letter dated August 14, 2019 and addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr . Boss Mustapha, called the attention of the federal government to the plight of the people in Isiukwuato, many of whom, have suffered personal losses from the flood, that had ravaged their communities.

The Senate Chief Whip, who despite delivering the said letter personally to the SGF, had also visited the heads of government parastatals and agencies, saddled with the responsibilities of erosion control projects across the country."

Speaking with Chief Ejikeme Okoroafor who hails from Isuikwuato, he maintained that the people of Isuikwuato are appreciative of the approval by the FEC, but Isuikwuato people do not want the story to end at just approval.

He tasked the Federal government to quickly mobilize the contractor so that he can move to site and start the job immediately.

"This is not the time for anyone to lay claim of the project, this is the time for team work, the time for everyone to work together to make sure the project is started and completed on time" he concluded.