Indigenes and residents of Iriamogu Village in Dindi-Ihiagwa Autonomous Community, Owerri West LGA, Imo State, have appealed to the State Governor, Hope Uzodinma to urgently intervene in what they described as the devastating environmental impact of dredging activities along the Otammiri River waterfront.
The residents also expressed concern that the alleged degradation could endanger lives, destroy farmlands and infrastructure, and potentially pose a threat to electricity infrastructure located within the Community.
Addressing Journalists and members of a Civil Society Organization, CSO, the President-General of Iriamogu Development Union, Mr Joseph Oforegbu, expressed concern over the activities of dredging operators in the area, describing the reported level of environmental degradation as unacceptable.
Oforegbu asserted that if the dredging activity is not put to an end, the community has no other option than to embark on a serious protest against it.
He said that elders of the community have been restraining their youths from frontal confrontation with the dredgers, waiting on the government to take appropriate action on the matter.
The President General, appealed to the state government to intervene promptly, stressing that the community leadership might find it increasingly difficult to contain the frustration among the youths.
The community accused a company identified as Marine Dredging Company of being responsible for the extensive environmental damage through its operations in the area.
Mr Oforegbu, alleged that portions of their lands and roads had been affected, while farmlands and other properties had also suffered damage.
He added that the community has done its best in drawing the attention of the state government and other relevant bodies to the ugly development without positive response.
Another community leader, Mr Christian Mbawuike, said that several attempts by the community to engage the management of the Dredging Company over the devastating consequences of its operations had failed to yield positive results.
He alleged that instead of addressing their concerns and complying with applicable environmental requirements, the company allegedly used security agencies to intimidate residents.
Mbawuike pointed out that the company had allegedly continued its operations despite the state government’s restriction on dredging activities within an 18-kilometre radius to the state capital, which according to him covered Iriamogu and other parts of Ihiagwa.
He recalled that the state government through the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Solid Minerals had previously intervened by blocking the access road to the dredging site to prevent trucks from gaining access, an action he said has never yielded any result.
The community leaders appealed to the state government and other appropriate quarters to intervene to forestall impending physical confrontation between the community and the company.
