Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development, FENRAD, a pro-democracy and environmental rights advocacy group has called on the state and federal governments and their agencies to come to the urgent rescue of indigenes and residents of Ebem Ohafia in Ohafia LGA.
FENRAD, in a statement signed by its Executive Director FENRAD, Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor raised its voice after an on-the-spot assessment of erosion sites at the affected environs in Ebem Ohafia. As an environmental rights advocacy group, the disaster if not contained now, FENRAD believes, has the capacity of not only overrunning a larger part of Ebem Ohafia but leaving devastating impacts on its entire landscape. It is both a sorrow and sorry situation that the erosion now has affected the palace and residence of the traditional/paramount ruler of Ebem Ohafia.
Ebem Ohafia, FENRAD laments, hosts a lot of critical federal establishments, including a military base – Goodluck Jonathan Barrack, 14 Brigade and as well as the 145 Battalion of the Nigeria Army (NA) – known generally as the third-largest military base in Nigeria. This disaster is beyond the people, their traditional or paramount ruler and requires mitigative action/control to address what would be a future menace, FENRAD observed!
FENRAD by this release also reaches out to: Abia State Government under His Excellency Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, PhD; the state Emergency Management Agency, SEMA; members representing Ohafia North and South state constituencies; member representing Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency, Honourable Uko Nkole; Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, MON, representing Abia North and other stakeholders in the polity to see to the end of this ugly threat even if it requires leveraging the ecological fund.
FENRAD believes intervention is better than condolences and prayers, the Foundation raises its voice in this SOS call on the relevant authorities saying: “Come over to Ebem and help us!”
