…as erosion, flooding submerge houses in Awka

By Vincent Ujumadu

AWKA — Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, Victor Umeh, has called on the Federal Government to immediately declare the district an erosion and ecological disaster zone following the loss of lives, destruction of property and submerging of houses by flooding and gully erosion in parts of the state.

Umeh made the call after visiting the family of a six-year-old boy who died when the school bus conveying him and other pupils to Nnamdi Azikiwe University Primary School reportedly became trapped in floodwater.

The senator also visited the family of retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, DIG Celestine Okoye, and that of Onyeka Diamond, whose communities in Awka have suffered severe erosion in recent days, resulting in the submergence of houses and the cutting off of some roads.

Sympathising with the affected families, Umeh said he would amend an earlier motion he presented at the Senate on erosion and flooding in Anambra to include the latest incidents.

He also promised to continue pursuing the matter until the Federal Government intervened.

Lamenting the situation, the senator said the entire state was vulnerable to erosion and flooding, with Anambra Central particularly affected.

“The entire Anambra is prone to erosion menace and flooding. Anambra Central, which I represent in the Senate, has been severely affected by the menace,” he said.

Umeh recalled that during an earlier visit to affected areas, he contacted the Minister of Works, David Umahi, who, after expressing concern, advised them to engage the Secretary to the Government of the Federation because the Ecological Office is domiciled in the SGF’s office.

He, however, said the problem went beyond what could be addressed through the ecological fund alone.

“For instance, most of the erosion sites and the flooding along the old Enugu-Onitsha road cannot be handled by the state government because it is a federal highway and it is not something the ecological fund can handle,” he said.

“Our people are suffering and many of them have been displaced and that is why we are calling on government to come and help us.

“Many houses have collapsed and so, let government declare Anambra Central Senatorial District an erosion/ecological disaster zone. If this is not done, a large section of this senatorial zone will soon be submerged.”

Umeh said the situation required urgent federal intervention, noting that several communities were already facing serious environmental threats.

“I feel so sad and worried that Anambra Central is under serious erosion threat and flooding. Last month I was at Obosi and Ogidi and this time it is in Awka, the state capital. All the local government areas are under erosion threat of environmental collapse,” he said.

He added that buildings around erosion sites were under serious threat and warned that the problem would worsen with continued rainfall.

According to him, remedial measures usually undertaken by residents were no longer sufficient to contain the situation.

“We can no longer fold our hands and watch this menace continue. I want the Senate to have a comprehensive look at what is happening in my senatorial zone and take action to save our people,” Umeh said.

Speaking during the visit, retired DIG Celestine Okoye said residents of Awka had been going through severe hardship as erosion continued to affect several communities in the state capital.

Okoye said the erosion site on his property became more pronounced several years ago during the administration of former Governor Willie Obiano.

He recalled that following his appeal to the former governor, government officials visited the area several times to inspect the site, but no remedial action followed.

“The officials came here more than six times and nothing came out of those visits. Apparently, the state government felt it was not something it could handle.

“I kept shouting and nobody came to our rescue until it worsened to this level,” he said.

According to the retired police officer, several residents had lost their houses to the erosion, while some affected families had been forced to stay with relatives and others in safer locations.

“Many people in this community have lost their houses and many poor people affected by the menace are now squatting with people in safer places. It is indeed a big problem to us,” he said.

Okoye appealed to the Federal Government to intervene before the erosion worsened.

“If we allow this erosion to continue, most parts of Awka will be swallowed. This is a state capital and something must be done to protect the city from being submerged. People should not be allowed to live in death traps,” he said.

Another affected resident, Mr Okwuchukwu Nweke, said residents had been surprised by the speed at which the erosion had developed.

“As you can see, we don’t have any other place to relocate to. Even if we want to rebuild our houses, the erosion has to be controlled first,” he said.

Nweke said his community had lived with the problem for about three months, adding that officials of the state government had inspected the affected area after a report was made but no remedial work had commenced.

“We have been living here for a long, but it was just three months ago that we noticed the gully erosion in front of our house. We made a report to the state government three months ago and some officials were sent to inspect the level of devastation, but nothing has been done yet,” he said.