BY: Nick Nwaneri, Calabar
Following a viral report on Sunday the 10th of July 2022 on an incident of a landslide which consumed four family members in (ward 10) Nasarawa Estate (Bakoko) area of Calabar municipality.
The Director General of Greater Calabar City Development Authority, Comrade, Kingsley lta kpeme (FCAI) paid an unscheduled visit to the scene of the urgly incident on monday 11th of July 2022, while commiserating with the bereaved family who lost their four children during the incident.
He also encouraged the parents of the victim’s who survived by the whiskers, and sympathisers that the Government of Sir Ben Ayade gives priority to human lives, being aware of their plight, the relevant government agency will be contacted to come to their aid.
lkpeme, who earlier visited the leadership of the dominant Muslim settlement, also sympathized with them, was accompanied by the youth leader of Nasarawa Estate, Alhaji Nasiru Gombe, visited the grave side of the four kids that loss their lives in the tragedy and prayed for the peaceful repose of their souls.
Narrating their ordeal to the team, residents Mr.Ukeme, Mrs.Eno and Mrs.Mary in their separate speeches said the incident came as a surprise as they tried to rescue the victims, had to dig up the victims from the mud, following the heavy rains and precarious location of the building, which played a critical role in the tragedy through God’s grace.
According to her, “we were able to rescue the man and his wife but the four children were unlucky as resident efforts could not save their lives”.
“As at the time of the visit, neighbors were seen in clusters, discussing the unfortunate incident amidst tears and sorrows”.
Also in a related development, DG, Ikpeme, has called on citizens to take issues of environment seriously for it’s the only place we have to live as humans and as the rains are here, advised citizens living in flood prone areas to relocate and desist from erecting structures on waterways and avoid dumping of refuge in the drains, in order not to hinder free flow of water.
lkpeme, opined that a well designed drainage system is essential to remove any excess water from our environment, a good drainage is an essential part of living and helps in the prevention of water-related damage to lives and property.
The Director General, Greater Calabar, called on business owners to as a matter of urgency desist from erecting gas and fuel stations within residential areas, due to the danger it poses to both lives and property. Enjoin business owners also to relocate commercial activities from waterways and under high tensions to forestall any damage.
