They mentioned, particularly, Science Park Road, which links Calabar-Itu Road, saying erosion had made the road impassable. Speaking, erosion has also damaged a section of Calabar-Itu Road.
A resident of Atai Nung Itam in Itu Local Government Area of the state, Mr. Moses Akpan, appealed to the incoming administration to declare a state of emergency on erosion in Uyo, Itu, and Oron.
Describing Uyo as a tableland, Akpan pointed out that it would be difficult for government to control erosion except serious steps were taken to curb the menace.
He said a construction company, Nigerpest, had started work on the Science Park Road, but added that the project had been abandoned.
Akpan appealed to the Akwa Ibom State Government to encourage the company to go back to work to prevent the points affected by gully erosion from total collapse.
“Nigerpest has started working on the area, though the project appears to have been abandoned. We have to encourage the company to come back to work. The truth of the matter is that Uyo is a tableland.
“The only thing the government can do is to declare a state of emergency in the area of erosion control in Uyo. That means the government has to embark on a serious construction of drainage channels, including underground drains to control the situation,” he said.
Similarly, the University of Uyo is facing a 200-metre deep gully, which encroaches upon the university from three angles. This situation appears to be a threat to the existence of the institution.
The gully has been said to be caving in at intervals in the past 20 years. It was learnt that the gully had destroyed the first Uyo Township Stadium, and was threatening the town campus.
The rainy season will worsen the situation as the rate of expansion of the gully has increased with sections caving in on weekly basis. The university Vice Chancellor, Prof. Comfort Ekpo, had said that the university was at the cliff of the gully, and the entire campus is at risk.
On July 9, 2013, the Trunk A road in Oron, the only road that links Oron to Uyo, Eket, and the rest of the state to other parts of the country, was completely cut off as a result of the erosion.
The President-General, Oron Union, Okon Okon, made a report on Sunday that many doing businesses in Oron had left for other towns within and outside the state as the collapsed road had caused hardship to both businessmen and residents.
Okon stated that the Oron Trunk A Road was one of the earliest roads to be constructed by colonial masters. He added that since the construction of the road by the colonial masters, the Federal Government had not repaired or upgraded the road, which was the only route to Calabar.
He had said, “This is the only road that links Oron to other parts of the state and the rest of Nigeria. It was the major route to Calabar, Cameroun, Gabon, and other republics.
“I was there when the road collapsed. Our only means of accessing other places in Nigeria has been cut off. The development has necessitated increase in transport fare as transporters charge commuters almost triple the amount they used to pay.
“Transporters can only access the other parts of the road through another community. Oron now is like a ghost town. People have left the place for other places within and outside the state as life has become unbearable.”
culled from Planet Radio 101.1 Fm Uyo
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