By Aisha Audu
Residents of over seven communities in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State have raised the alarm over the collapse of the only bridge linking their areas to the rest of the council and state.
The bridge which serves several adjoining communities in Ofu Local Government Area including Ugwolawo, the headquarter of the council Area, collapsed following heavy down pour.
No fever than seven communities and several other settlements were affected by the disaster that is threatening to cut them from being cut-off from other parts of the local government and state.
According to Elder Simon who spoke on behalf of the affected communities, the road and bridge connecting Ugwolawo to Iga’ala, Makoja, Ofenya, Agwale, Ahi, Ayeye, Alaba, and many other villages were destroyed by the flood.
The bridge over the Ofu river that was constructed through community efforts some years back, was also overrun and destroyed by flood.
“This bridge connects Ugwolawo with the above mentioned villages and others around it and now that the bridge and road has been destroyed, they have been completely cut off from the local government head quarters” .
Reacting, a resident of the area who does not want to be mentioned, revealed that many children from the area have been unable to go to school since the just as economic activities have been hampered by the disaster.
In his words ” we are presently separated from the headquarter, our children can know longer go to school and our farm produce could no longer be taking to the market and if this continues, disaster is imminent in our community as 80 percent of our people are farmers” he added.
The community used the medium to cry out to the Kogi State Government, Kogi State Ministry of Rural Development and Kogi State Road Maintaince Agency ( KOGROMA), political office holders from that axis and other relevant authorities for urgent assistance.
Ugwolawo and the affected villages are currently in need of serious help as this road is very important to them as it serves as the corridor to their dialy income.
Today, residents of the affected communities can’t visit their farms nor take their farm produce to Ugwolawo market for sale.
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