That gully erosion threat on Ikot Usekong – James Town road

BY GODWIN ADIAKPAN

As the heavy downpour and its attendant rain water generates and intensifies, any road without a well constructed drainage system on it risk the chance of being washed away irrespective of the construction giant that handled the project.

This is the sorry state of the Ikot Usekong – Uquo axis of the Ikot Usekong – James Town road at Ekpene Obo, Esit Eket local government area which had been cut-off by severe gully erosion.

The said road that traverses two important local government councils in Akwa Ibom sttae is the only access from Esit Eket at Ikot Usekong in Eket before heading to Ikot Abasi, Uyo and the Ibom International airport through Nsit Ubium or Nsit Attai.

To worsen the situation, the absence of an alternative route buttress the need to fix the only access road to Esit Eket as the only escape route, Ikot Usekong – Ikot Ubo – Ibiomin road as its non construction remains an illusion for some inexplicable reasons.

Incidentally,Ekpene Obo, a community strategically located as the gateway to Esit Eket on the said road network is the entry point to all motorists before heading to Edo, Uquo the council headquarters and other areas the bound the Atlantic Ocean and other councils of Oron federal constituency.

Truly gully erosion threat that has converted this most important road into death trap, posing serious danger to the smooth conduct of government business at the council secretariat Uquo, and other business or economic interest, such as the operations of some oil well and drilling facilities within Uquo marginal field, owned and operated by an indigenous oil firm, Frontier Oil Limited,(FOL) and its joint venture partner, Seven Energy Limited for the exploration, exploitation and production of oil and gas for domestic market and industrial consumption.

With the commencement of the industrialization policy of the Deacon Udom Emmanuel led- administration as witnessed in the number of moribund industries revived for optimum production like the Peacock Paints Industries Etinan, the multi-billion Akwa Palm Industries, Etebi which the government is currently sourcing for investors may suffer a major setback as the only access road is severely threatened by this gully erosion.

Another indigenous oil firm, Universal Energy Resources, with its operational headquarters in the Stubb Creek field located within Esit Eket LGA territory will have its operations equally affected if the gully erosion at Ekpene Obo is allowed to degenerate further.

Most important the government and the people of Esit Eket may not realize the full benefits of its numerous economic and natural endowment of the Ibom Deep Sea port located within the shores of the area and other adjoining councils if this road which is the shortest distance for motorist from Port Harcourt, Aba and Uyo via James Town to the industrial city is cut of from traffic.

Let it be equally placed on records that since Eket- Ibeno road became a nightmare and was declared not motor able for years, with the state government taking over it re-construction courtesy the 2012 oil spill special community development (not compensation) palliative fund after much showdown or fisticuff between the community and Mobil Producing Nigeria and against the wish of the community. The only linked road now to Ibeno and QIT (Mobil Operational Headquarters) is through Ekpene Obo – Edo road still connected to the Ikot Usoekong – Uquo – James Town road network.

These and other economic interest underscores the importance of the said road that will require millions of Naira to re – constructs, if abandon at a great risk as the gully erosion assumes a run – away speed.

When correspondent visited the erosion site, it was discovered that the gully erosion has eaten up part of the road and may soon engulf it as the rain intensifies.

It will be regrettable if this is allowed to happen as what could have been a remedial measure will now involve fresh constructions of some kilometers of the road at a very exorbitant cost.

Investigation attribute the erosion menace to lack of drainage facilities on the whole stretch of the Ikot Usoekong – Uquo axis of the Ikot Usoekong – James town road. This road was hurriedly constructed by the administration of the Group Capt. Idongesit Nkanga (now Air Marshal rtd) then Millitary Administrator of Akwa Ibom State to linked all the council headquarters by motorable roads to Uyo the state capital.

Then this road had no economic interest except the few coked oil wells abandoned by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) since the late 50’s.

With the commencement of exploration and exploitation activities in Uquo Marginal Field (OML 13) by Frontier oil limited (FOL) in 2003, Stubb Creek Field (OML, 14) by Universal Energy Resources Limited and Qua Iboe Field by Network Exploration and Production Limited (NEPL), intense exploration activities with heavy vehicular movement may explain the present state of the road decades after it was constructed.

Today, apart from Qua Iboe Terminal (QIT), the operational headquarters of Mobil producing Nigeria now ExxonMobil, an Oil giant, is now accessible from Ekpene Obo –Edo road, the first and biggest multi million dollars indigenous independent gas plant in sub – Saharan Africa, the Uquo Gas Processing Facilities, which was officially commissioned by President Jonathan about a year ago is equally accessed from Ekpene Obo – Edo road.

The same is reported of the Ekpene Obo – Edo road without any drainage facilities on it. This allow rain water to flow uncontrollably across the road and empties into a ditch which has developed into this gully erosion that has assume a frightening dimension by the day even as the rain persist.

When it rains, the volume of water that flood the road around the gully erosion site makes it impossible for motorist to ply the road except at the mercy of volunteers traffic marshals of the community. 

A native of the community, Apostle Jonathan Bassey, opined, “our life is in great danger as houses located along the collapsed drainage route may be washed away at the speed the erosion is eating up the land.”

“As you can see, these buildings are on the verge of collapsed as the erosion inches closer even as the cracked buildings may caved in anytime”.

It is a big risk to drive on this road especially at night or when it rains as most vehicles and their passengers end up in the about 20 meters deep gully.
According to Kingsley Effiong, a lot of okada riders and their passengers have met their untimely death, noting, “until adequate measures are put in place to fix the road again; death toll will be on the increase daily. It is glaring; no amount of community intervention can save lives of passengers that fell into the 20 meters deep trench, which empties into a nearby swamp”. Effiong concluded.

 Chief Andrew Isang, village head and Chief Akpe I. Akpe a community leader, lamented the high incidence of auto crash and attendance loss of life that has projected the communities in bad light.

they regretted that several appeals to respective government agencies to address the erosion menace has not yielded expected result, but emphasized, the community will not be deterred by failure of previous appeals to attract attention to the plight of the community.

“This road has much economic important to the state and federal government in view of the number of economic activities, endowment and investment which cannot be ignore” they maintained. Let us, once again renewed our appeal to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), ExxonMobil, Frontier Oil Limited, Universal Energy Limited and other corporate institutions to as a matter of urgency and as socially responsible corporate citizens help address this menace, retort, “who knows the next casualty here”. 

For owners or occupant of buildings along the trench, they don’t need the warning of Nigeria Metallurgical Agency (NIMET), or National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) or the State counterpart to be on red alert of the impending danger as the rains persist.

Equally, motorist and other road users especially those plying the road for the first time, or on rainy days and at night don’t need the warning of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) and community traffic personnel or other safety devices on the road to be extra careful.

Only a well designed drainage system and a reconstruction of the damaged erosion site on the high way can guarantee safety of lives, vehicles, and equipment that ply the said road.