By Uchenna Odo
(This is a story of a stream that flows behind Eastern Medical Center, Enugu. The stream provides sands for a block industry owned by Catholic Church, bathing place for the residents and grounds for agro-activities.)
As the nation continues wallowing in economic crunches, many citizens venture into different economic activities to find their daily bread.
One of the areas is the stream from Agric Base at Coal Camp, Enugu. The stream passes through the back of Eastern Medical Center down the Holy Ghost Cathedral, Enugu. Where it ends remains an enigma.
Adadareporters visited the stream and found that a lot of economic activities are going on there.
One Emmanuel was seen by the bank of the stream. He refused to disclose his surname.
He told our correspondent how accommodation problems opened economic fortunes for him by forcing him to explore the means of livelihood in the stream.
Quoting him, “Here is a place that I find what I use to take care of myself and my family. I depend on evacuating sands and gravels from the stream to the surface ground where they are measured and bought.
“You can see the block industry very close by. It belongs to the Catholic Diocese of Enugu.
“I’m the one supplying them sands which they use to mould blocks, especially this raining season.
“You can see that the church, in her wisdom, established this block industry. The advantage is that the water used in the business is sourced within. This reduces the cost of production.”
He said the mysterious stream has been providing the bathing ground for Enugu residents who either have no bathing places or live in congested places.
According to him, “There are compounds that over twenty persons live at Coal Camp, and they have only one toilet facility. Some occupants of such places readily come to this stream to bathe.
“Some who don’t have resídence at all find their ways here to bathe and wash their clothes. Some of them sleep in parked vehicles at night and so on.”
Adadareporters observed that the stream may not be conducive for human consumption, although some drink from it.
Ngozi Odo also makes her living from the stream. She, alongside others, embarks on agricultural activities like planting of vegetables, maize and palm trees.
