By Odo Ogenyi, Uyo

The Nigerian Institution of Safety Engineers (NISafetyE) has warmed relevant agencies of government of impending gully erosion disaster in many parts of Eket Local Council of A’Ibom.

NISafetyE President, Engr Akaninyene Ekong gave the warning in Eket yesterday when he led a delegation of experts from the Institution on an on the spot assessment of roads affected by gully erosion in the oil city.

Ekong while giving an assessment of the state of the roads including Isong Udoito Street ,Umana Ndon ,Mkpok streets observed that, gully erosion has collapsed both sides of the roads, making it unsafe for motorists and passers-by with many properties already destroyed.

He ststed that the structural integrity of the culverts and roads have been seriously compromised warning that if urgent intervention is not taken to check mate the situation more properties would be swept away by gully erosion.

“Already, the menace of this gully erosion has rendered many homeless with properties destroyed. As rainy season begins, the situation is worsening as some part of the canal embankment has caved in.

“Pedestrian, motorist and residents within the area are at risk as the roads can be washed away at any time especially with the onset of the heavy rains.” He said.

The NISafetyE Boss stated that the NISafetyE is a division established by the Nigerian Society of Engineers with a mandate to prevent failures in Engineered Systems such as industrial process upset , roads ,buildings, bridges collapse , transportation through the adherence to Safety/Engineering Codes and Standards to ensure both Industrial and Public Safety.

“As an institution, our immediate intervention and role on this situation is to firstly, communicate the hazard to the public/ motorist plying this road about the gully erosion danger ahead and also call on the State Ministry of Environment , the Eket Local Government Council Chairman for urgent intervention by closing the affected roads until repairs are made.” He said.

Ekong however stated that the NISafetyE has strategically positioned physical barriers that would communicate the gully erosion danger ahead and called for urgent action by government to prevent deaths in the area adding that, “we must not wait for people to die before action is taken.”