Ogga Community in Yagba West Local Government of Kogi has appealed to the Federal and Kogi State Governments to come to its rescue in reconstructing its only link road washed away by gully erosion.
Mr Bamidele Olure, spokesperson of the community and President, Ogga Progressive Union (OPU), made the appeal on behalf of the community while speaking with newsmen on Tuesday in Lokoja.
Olure said the only road linking the Ogga community of a population of about 3,000 inhabitants with other areas, was washed away by the erosion following torrential rainfall in the early hours of Monday, July 13.
He said that the appeal became necessary considering the magnitude of the disaster which was beyond the scope of the community’s self-help capacity.
Olure added that Ogga had been completely severed from its neighbouring communities and other parts of the state as a result of the disaster.
The president said that though the community was famous for its self-help efforts , having built its primary health centre, secondary and primary schools, as well as a police post, among others, rebuilding the road was beyond its scope.
He explained that about two months ago, the OPU spent over N2 million on provision of sanitizers, running water, water tanks, soap, face masks and palliatives to assuage the effect of COVID-19 Pandemic and curtail its spread in the community.
According to him, the union is no longer financially buoyant to embark on reconstruction of the road, hence the plea for assistance.
“It is imperative to state that without putting the road back to use, the socio-economic activities of inhabitants of the community and other adjoining communities, will be completely grounded,” he said.
Olure listed the communities to be affected, to include Omi, Ogbom, Jege, linking the Oke-Oyi Division of Yagba East Local Government Area of the state.
He also said security of lives and property of the people was in jeopardy because of the community’s vulnerability to security breaches and threats as was the case during last year’s attack on the community.
The president said another challenge posed by damage to the bridge, was lack of access to health facilities in neighbouring communities of Odo-Ere and or Egbe.
He added that agriculture, farming and other economic and social activities in the community had also been paralyzed.
Olure therefore appealed to governments at all levels, as well as public-spirited individuals, to come to the rescue of the community.
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