Erosion destroys buildings, displaces occupants in Anambra…

No fewer than 30 buildings are said to have been destroyed and over 50,000 people displaced in the gully erosion ravaging communities in Onitsha Inland, Onitsha North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

It was gathered that the erosion, which began in 2019, has so far damaged areas at Obeleagu and Nkisi-Aroli streets, thereby causing panic among the inhabitants of the community since 2020, when it became fully blown.

As a result, the residents of the affected areas have therefore called on the state governor, Chukwuma Soludo, to rescue them from the ecological disaster.

Already completely destroyed by the erosion were two churches, a school, shops, and residential buildings.

It was gathered that a three-storey building constructed close to the gully at Nkisi-Aroli Street caved in three years ago, and since then the erosion has kept expanding.

A resident of the area, who gave his name as Amechi Egbunike urged the state government to rescue them from the gully erosion without further delay.

The President-General of the Onitsha Improvement Union, Sir Chike Ekweogwu, said that the erosion started in late 2019 and manifested in 2020.

He appealed to the governor to help complete the palliative started by his predecessor and then stilt the Nkisi River so that it becomes a free-flowing stream.

The President General also appealed to both the federal and state governments to help finance the gully erosion close-up, adding that the community would not be able to finance such a huge project.

However, an employee in the ministry who identified herself simply as Mrs Osigwe, said, “Anambra State already has a Flood and Erosion Mitigation Team set up by the governor, which is headed by his deputy.

“The team, which is inter-ministerial has the State Emergency Management Agency, ministries of environment, education, local government areas, power and water, health, agriculture, transport, works, and other concerned government agencies.

“The Team is already working on pre-flood strategies to address the challenges.

Precisely, on April 28, the team, through SEMA, started a sensitising tour to the affected LGAs.”