Calabar South Community Cries Out Over Abandoned Gully Erosion Site  

By Ndifereke BASSEY

Residents of Ekeya community in Efut Musaha Clan of Calabar South local government area have sent a save-our-soul message calling on the government over life-threatening gully erosion ravaging the area.

For over two decades, the resident of Ekeya have lived with the effect of the menace of a deep gully erosion which is eating deep in the heart of the area, populated by students. 

When THE BEAGLE NEWS visited the site, it was discovered that the erosion, which is now at least over 200 meters deep, have taken people’s lives and swallowed some properties just as trees have grown inside the gully in some sections and several properties within the community have been abandoned by their owners. 

 Lamenting their woe, the Village Head of Ekeya His Highness Ndabo Okposin David, attributed the problem to a failed road construction project in another community within the area, water channel from far away Mbukpa area properly.

HH Ndabo David said: “The water you see comes all the way from Mbukpa then flows into Waddell, to Ekpenyong Ekpenyong to Essien to Fixibon to Ekong to New Airport road and then spills over into Ekeya. Former governor Donald Duke brought a company called Gitto to do that road from Fixibon to Howell to New Airport and in the course of construction, there was a crisis between the company and the youths which led to the project’s abandonment.

 “The company did not complete the channelization of the water and when the next governor came in, he tried to do the gutter from Fixibon but the gutter had no outlet. The government tried to do a gutter along New Airport but this was not wide enough and so all the water overflows into Ekeya community.

“This water also passes through the University of Cross River State as well as Idim Ita Village before emptying into the Iquo Nkod River. Before it ends there, it will first flow into several houses in Ekeya before terminating in the river. Since then, we have been affected by the erosion and over the years it has gone from bad to worse with several houses being affected.

 “We have written several letters, sent appeals and solicitations have been done by the community to various government agencies as well as successive administrations in the state but succor has not yet come to the area. We are so much affected by the erosion which has presently has gone so bad that there is no more motorable road in the community and many houses have been affected.

 “Presently, we want an emergency rescue by the government. For over 20 years now, at least eleven houses have been abandoned in the area and more are being abandoned by those who can afford to.”

 A women leader of Ekeya Village, Ekpenyonganwan Eyo, said the ravine is affecting businesses within the area, ease of movement and even their children cannot go to school as at when due because of the gully.

She said: “The gully has claimed a lot of lives over the years, two months ago a child who was passing across the area thought it was not deep and immediately she put one leg, she was almost gone and barely survived because of help from a passerby, even here in Ekong street, water carried a child straight to Iquo Nkod River and nobody could help, that’s why children are locked up anytime it rains. The community desperately needs government intervention and the solution should start from where the water comes from so as to provide a permanent solution.

During a working visit to the area, Governor Otu bemoaned the danger posed to residents of the affected area and pledged short to medium intervention to safeguard lives and property.

"We cannot allow something like this in the middle of the town. Looking at this it must have taken a lot of lives, and property. The World Bank has intervention programs which I intend to follow up with, and this has informed my being here.

“We will take a look at the drawings, see what the existing plans are and work quickly to safeguard those who live around this area,” the governor said.