AGULERI OTU COMMUNITIES PROTEST ILLEGAL DREDGING ACTIVITIES, SAY PEPETRATORS ARE NON APGA AND ANTI GOVERNMENT
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By Dr Innocent Chidumebi Okonkwo.
Residents of three communities that make up Aguleri Otu Community, a suburb of Anambra East Local Government, Anambra State have protested against illegal dredging going on in the community. The protesters, consisting of men and women, who displayed placards with various inscriptions, such as ‘Governor Soludo please intervene,’ among others, prevented trucks from entering the dredging site. The protesters condemned illegal dredging activities in the community by a suspected Chinese company, alleging that it was a threat to the only bridge that link the communities to the world, which according to them was the only legacy project they got from former Governor Willy Obiano.
The residents, therefore, called on the Federal Government and Anambra State government to save the community from such activity. Speaking during the protest, the Traditional Ruler of Mkpunando community, HRH Igwe Johnson Mbanefo alleged that the Chinese company is operating in the community with the intention to collapse the Odene bridge. He added that the pepetrators of the act were not supporting the APGA Government who constructed the bridge and pleaded with the state government to come to their rescue.
On his own, the traditional ruler of Eziagulu Otu, Igwe Lawrence Nwofia commended Governor Charles Soludo for interventions so far to ensure that dredgers and their activities are put on hold and pleaded that every effort should be made to make sure that the company vacates the area as allowing them to continue is a threat to the only bridge that links the community to other parts of the world.