Residents cry out as erosion ravages 169 Anambra communities

Several buildings, structures and roads have been destroyed, while over 100,000 persons have been displaced by the menace of gully erosion ravaging communities in Anambra State, South-East PUNCH can authoritatively report.

Findings by South-East PUNCH revealed that some of the communities mostly ravaged by the disaster include: Oba community in Idemili South Local Government Area, Ozubulu in Ekwusigo Local Government Area, Onitsha Inland in Onitsha North Local Government Area, Awada, Nkpor and Obosi communities in Idemili North Local Government Area, as well as Atani and Okpoko communities in Ogbaru Local Government Area, among several others.

One of the roads currently being ravaged by the disaster is the Onitsha-Owerri Road, which has become a nightmare to road users, because the erosion devastation has completely cut off one lane of the ever busy road.

The Onitsha-Owerri Expressway connects other South-East states and some parts of the South-South and recently, a devastating erosion cut off one lane of the busy expressway at Oba community, and since the incident happened in July, 2023, it has become a nightmare for road users.

The Agulu-Nanka Road axis and Alor-Nnobi Road have also been badly affected by the disaster, a situation that has attracted both national and international visitors and several others to the plight of road users.

Among the structures under serious erosion threat are the popular Rojeeny Games Village, Tansian University, and a multi-million naira plastics company located in Oba, near the Onitsha-Owerri Road.

Already, churches, schools, shops and several residential buildings worth billions of naira, including several failed roads in the inner communities, have been destroyed completely by the erosion menace.

However, both the federal and state governments are tackling few of the erosion menace in the state, such as the one along the Onitsha-Owerri road and some other major roads in the state.

This is just as the state Commissioner for Environment, Felix Odimegwu, has disclosed that no fewer than 160 out of 179 communities in Anambra State are currently grappling with the imminent threat posed by erosion gullies.

Odimegwu disclosed this while speaking at an award night organised by the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Awka branch, recently.

Odimegwu averred that the ravaging erosion menace across the state is caused by actions and inactions of the residents, which he said require collective efforts and expertise to control.

Emphasising the urgent need for collective action and expertise to mitigate the impact of the erosion menace, the commissioner added that negligence would undoubtedly continue exacerbating the environmental vulnerabilities.

He, however, applauded the ongoing rehabilitation works going on at some of the erosion sites, facilitated by the governor of the state, Chukwuma Soludo,  and emphasised the positive strides made in the ministry.

He said, “No fewer than 160 out of 179 communities in Anambra State are currently grappling with the imminent threat posed by erosion gullies.

Environment is everybody’s business. Looking at what is happening in the state today, the ecological problems we are facing, it is high time we all took responsibility for our actions and our inactions.

“And the engineers must play their roles and ensure the right thing is done at every point in time, especially in the areas of the design and construction of buildings, because unsustainable designs and unprofessional construction are parts of the major causes of these environmental challenges.”

South-East PUNCH correspondent, who visited various erosion sites on Tuesday and Wednesday, gathered that a three-storey building and a school constructed close to the gully at Nkisi-Aroli Street at Onitsha Inland community, a highly populated area, recently caved in as the erosion had continued to expand.

Following the development, residents who spoke to our correspondent in separate interviews, said more buildings have been submerged while many occupants have been displaced and their belongings destroyed.

A septuagenarian and retired educationist, Onwa Chukwudili, told South-East PUNCH correspondent that he had suffered serious hardship in the past three years due to the erosion.

Chukwudili stated, “I thank God that I am still surviving, and I thank the state government for the much it has done, but as you can see, the calamity is not over yet, as it is rapidly ravaging properties.

“I thank our monarch and the town union’s leadership for the relief items they have so far provided for the victims. The state government has diverted the water channel from the main erosion gully site, but it has yet to be sealed. That is our concern now.”

Another resident of the area, Amechi Emenike, urged the state government to rescue them from the area, adding, “We want a proactive measure, not political promises made by past administrations.” Punch