On Tuesday 1st July 2014 at about 2.30pm, a 25ton 911 Tipper conveying gravel cheapings to a building site in Ndi Ebe Abam made the bridge to collapse. This bridge was first constructed on the 7th day of May 1960, and by August 1st, 1984, the bridge collapsed when a caterpillar working for Chief Anaga Ezikpe (Abiriba) plied through it and the weight gave in, and that was the first day the bridge collapsed. It was hurriedly reconstructed on the 24th of August, 1984 through the combined efforts of then Rtd. Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe a cousin of Chief Anaga Ezikpe, and Chief O. O. Awah of Nigeria Customs, and the bridge since then has been managed/maintained through various patch-patch works. The bridge is located in Ndi Ebe Abam, one of the 4 most populous communities in Abam Onyerubi in Arochukwu LGA of Abia State. Ndi Ebe Abam is housing many governmental projects like the Anambra-Imo River Basin Authority, Rice/Irrigation Project, as well as World Bank. The bridge links Ndi Ebe Abam to the outside world, through the bridge, Ndi Ebe Abam gets access to other Abam communities (26 in numbers). The bridge also links Ndi Ebe to Bende, Umuahia and the world at large. The bridge is also a linking link between the world to Ndi Ebe, Abiriba and Amuru Abam, as well as over 20 equally industrious Settlements (Plantations/Clans). The bridge is the only access in/out of our domain. Fortunately, no one died during the collapse, even the driver of the Tipper did not die, but sustain a minor injury. The reaction of the community is that of despair, anguish and hopelessness. Especially when it happened, those that drove out for their businesses could not drive back in, and some were forced to drive back to where they are coming from, some were forced to sleep outside, because it rained and the river (Igwu River) overflowed and was yet to recede. It has greatly paralysed business activities like those traders, palm oil producers, teachers, etc cannot even go about their businesses anymore, because there is even no canoe to ferry people across, because in Abam we are not used to ferries/canoe. The major reaction from the villages elders and chiefs is, how to go about reconstructing it, because we are hopelessly helpless as we are totally neglected by the government and we do not know who and how they will come to our aid. Kingsley Iroegbu Uzoaru
Posted on: Fri, 04 Jul 2014 09:57:46 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015