Residents sacked by gully erosion commend Edo govt over reclamation of areas

From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin

Residents of Upper Tenboga-Ekiuwa University of Benin road in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo State, sacked by gully erosion, yesterday, commended the state government for the reclamation of the community from the effects of the gully erosion.

Mr. Edward Ugboyobi, a landlord in the community gave the commendation while addressing Journalists in Benin on the state of the area before now.

He said the community has been deserted because of the perennial gully and its adverse effects on the lives of the inhabitants and their livelihoods.

Mr. Ugboyobi said landlords in the community have become tenants in other communities because of how badly the place has become due to the gully.

“I am very happy at the pace of work of reclamation going on here. For a very long time, we have not been able to access our houses but now, those who left before are coming back to their abandoned houses”, Ugboyobi said.

At Agbokhina street, off Ekenwan road, Egor Local Government Area of the state, Mr. Scott Osayi, a resident of the community, expressed joy at the pace of work on the road.

He said the road has been impassable for many years before the immediate past governor came to commence work on it but couldn’t not complete the project but luckily for them, the present administration had continued with the project.

Osayi said with the progress of work on the road and when completed, it will boost the economy of the area noting that good road network is a sinequanon to economic development of any given place.

For Mr. Osagie Aigbeken who has resided in the community for 24 years, he maintained that, they have always resorted to self-help but with the ongoing work on the road, life has bounced back in the community.