My last post on engaging community members in planning development projects
just reminded me of my experience during the Covid in 2020
while traveling across the Enugu state.

As the leadership of the Enugu State Developemnt Association- Youth Wing,
– (Peter Chime, Nnaemeka Eze, Gabriel Odi, Odogwu na Nkanu, and many more)
we embarked on assessing developmental needs and projects in the state. We went to all the LGAs.
Meeting community leaders and members,
listening to their needs,
seeing for ourselves,
and monitoring progress of ongoing projects.
We focused only on those by state govt and LGAs.

And ultimately, having fun while touring the beautiful topography of Enugu.

One of the most remarkable experience occurred in Nkanu East LGA.
We got to Nyaba river.
It cuts the LGA into two: north and south.
There are 3 bridges 🌉 .
None of them was useful to cross the water.
The river created a different path away from the bridges.
We had to walk across on a platform built by the natives.

They told a story.
Whenever a bridge was built across the river, the water would follow another course.
Up to three and it dodged all !

The narrative was that the water made some demands 😳.
Either where the bridge should be or something but the engineers never listened.

The engineers must be some Thomases like many of us.

We gained great insights from interacting with communities
and also from being right there and assessing
and walking in their shoes.

My conclusion is that if the bridge awarded to a highly competent construction company,
and a standard bridge is constructed, the river won’t change course.

Since the incumbent Governor Peter Mbah is from same Nkanu East,
maybe the water will abide under the bridge he builds across the river
so that citizens connect with one another from Nkerefi to Owoh
instead of using the Port Harcourt expressway through Enugu urban.

#SDGs #sdgs2030 #developmentcommunication #enugu #ESDA #needsassessment #devcom

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I remain Ndụka Odo, an experienced multimedia practitioner and educator empowering people and businesses through media and technology.