Tension as Gully Erosion Sacks 15 Houses, Farmlands In Anambra Community, Indigenes Seek Soludo’s Intervention

By Our Reporter

Ekwulummiri residents in Nnewi South Local Government Area have sent Save Our Community appeal to the Anambra government as gully erosion wreaks havoc in the area.

According to Indigenes of the community, the gully has swept away large expanse of farmland, about 15 residential buildings as well as cut off a number of links and major roads in the area.

They lamented that in spite their cry for over 30 years since the erosion became massive, the Anambra government had not intervened.

They said the community had combated the full erosion with concrete work and tree planting but the gully continued to expand with rains every year.

Mr Chinedu Anyaso, stakeholder in the community told journalists in Awka that the gully erosion had swept away many economic trees, farm lands and livelihood of many families some of who had fled their ancestral lands.

Anyaso who is the Chairman of IPMAN, Enugu Depot Community Community said the most affected villages were Umudim, Urueze and Isigwu in order of devastation.

He said the gully erosion was caused by flash floods which came from Igbo Ukwu, Oraeri and other upland communities as well as increase human activities which exacerbated the flow.

He said the road linking the community to Amichi through Ugwuochi had been cut off by the gully erosion there by reducing the access of the people to social and economic activities.

He said the massive gully was less than about 50 metres away from the Oba-Nnewi-Uga-Okigwe expressway which was a strategic route for travelers.

“We are losing our community to gully erosion, about 15 houses have been lost to this gully, families have been displaced, countless economic trees and large areas of farm lands have been washed off and the federal road that passed here is about being cut off.

“We are calling on Gov. Chukwuma Soludo to declare a state of emergency on Ekwulummiri gully erosion, we are also calling on the Federal Government and international community to intervene.

“As a people, we have carried out control and remedial measures like planting of trees, construction of drainage and creation of catchment pits to reduce the impact but we are facing flood from about four communities from the upland.

Also speaking, Chief Clement Ezeifedikwa, a former President General of the Community said they had cried out over the gully menace but had not had any respite.

Ezeifedikwa said government officials had visited the various sites a number of times and gave assurances but nothing had been done to mitigate the disaster or assist the people.

“It is getting worse everyday, we do not have home any more, people are moving out,” he said.