By Deborah Bodunde

Gully erosion in Abia

The Abia state government says it will begin emergency intervention at three severe gully erosion sites threatening lives, homes and farmlands in Bende and Umuahia North LGAs.

Philemon Ogbonna, Abia commissioner for environment, spoke on Tuesday after conducting an on-the-spot assessment alongside officials of the state’s ministry of environment and the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project-European Investment Bank Assisted (NEWMAP-EIB).

The inspection covered erosion sites in Uzuakoli, Bende LGA, and Attah Emede in Umuahia North, where officials described the level of destruction as alarming.

Ogbonna said the Attah Emede site required urgent government intervention. He said approval in principle had already been secured for intervention works at the site, while a proposal had been forwarded to Alex Otti, governor of Abia, for final approval.

“Something is already being done at Attah Emede. We have secured approval in principle and forwarded a proposal to His Excellency for intervention works. Within the next few days, work will commence once final approval is given,” he said.

The commissioner urged residents living close to the expanding gully to evacuate immediately, warning that the erosion was advancing rapidly.

“The speed at which this erosion is progressing is alarming. I do not want any life lost. Let those living around the area vacate. Mitigation works will begin there very soon,” he added.

Ogbonna also disclosed that a memo seeking emergency intervention at the Amamba Uzuakoli erosion site would be forwarded to the governor.

He urged residents to avoid dumping refuse into gullies and engaging in activities that worsen erosion.

Nkiruka Chidia-Maduekwe, NEWMAP-EIB project coordinator, said the assessment followed distress calls received from the affected communities.

She described the destruction at both locations as heartbreaking but assured residents that the government was responding.

“What we saw is very disheartening. There is a huge threat to life and property. But government is on top of the situation,” she said.

Chidia-Maduekwe said the Attah Emede site and the Uzuakoli site at Dodd’s Methodist Church had been merged into one project under NEWMAP Phase Two.

She added that both locations were among three priority erosion sites selected for intervention under the European Investment Bank-assisted phase of the programme.

According to her, the governor has approved intervention at Attah Emede, while approval for emergency works at Uzuakoli is still being awaited.

She attributed the worsening erosion to inadequate drainage infrastructure and indiscriminate dumping of refuse into waterways.

“When roads are built without proper drainage, you get this kind of devastation. I was at Attah Emede recently, and within a week the place had disintegrated to the point where a road was cut into two. A shop and an entire family are now at risk,” she said.

Nelson Umuzurike, president-general of the Ohabuike Amamba Development Association, Uzuakoli, thanked the state government for responding to the community’s appeal.

“We have been waiting for government action. This erosion has cut off our farm roads. We don’t know how we will harvest this year or next,” he said.

“We are pleading for urgent action. We know our governor is a talk-and-do governor.”

Source: TheCable