The Abia State Government says it will investigate the pollution of a community stream in Aro Ajatakiri in Ajatakiri-na-Igu Autonomous Community in the Ikwuano Local Government Area of the state.

The state Commissioner for Environment, Philemon Ogbonna, made this known at a press briefing on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting at Government House, Umuahia.

Mr Ogbonna said that government officials visited the community and the polluted stream for an on-the-spot assessment of the development.

He said investigation had commenced to discover the actual cause of the pollution.

Mr Ogbonna added that members of the community had been advised to stay away from the contaminated water and desist from using it for anything because of the danger it might pose to them.

He said, “Investigation is ongoing to trace the source of the contamination.’’

Also, the state Commissioner for Information and Culture, Okey Kanu, said that samples of the contaminated water had been taken to the laboratory for test.

Mr Kanu said that this would assist the government to ascertain the actual contents in the water which will determine the kind of treatment to be made and the kind of assistance that the community would be given.

The Director General of the Greater Aba Development Authority, Uche Ukeje, said it was unfortunate that some unscrupulous individuals could take advantage of the unsuspecting members of the communities and put the lives of innocent people at risk.

Mr Ukeje said that efforts were being made to ensure that the people responsible for the pollution would be brought to book.

He said, “It is really unfortunate that people at this age would discharge their industrial waste into waters that our people still drink from. This happened somewhere around Aro Ajatakiri and it is appalling that people in a bid to make profit would hurt other people

“It is being investigated and resources would be put at the disposal of the people investigating and we will find out who did it.’’

 Mr Ukeje said that the government would deploy relevant resources to ensure that the members of the community receive adequate assistance to cushion the effects of the development.

“We would go back to that community to assess the immediate needs of the people. Once the assessment is done, help will be provided,” he added.

(NAN)