Residents of Ibere community in Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State are living in panic following the collapse of an erosion control project after the first rainfall .
The project was not re-assigned but was forcfully taken over by the deputy mayor of Ikwuano LGA from Nddc and they stopped a project that was awarded.
Sources from the community revealed that the project was attracted by Hon. Chinedu Kanu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), but the state government’s intervention led to its reassignment, resulting in substandard execution .
Villagers expressed dismay as the two erosion control sites failed to withstand the first downpour, raising fears of further damage to farmlands, property, and even loss of lives .
“The project was forcefully taken away from NDDC and given to a state contractor for direct labour. Now after the first rain, it has collapsed. Our people are living in fear because if the erosion continues, it will swallow our homes and farms,” a community source lamented .
The collapsed structure has left the community vulnerable to further erosion, with residents calling on both federal and state authorities to intervene urgently .
Community leaders are demanding an investigation into the quality of work executed and the circumstances surrounding the transfer of the project from NDDC to the state government .
