From Magnus Eze, Enugu
There is apprehension over the devastation caused by erosion in parts of Anambra State. At least, two nursery and primary schools, as well as over 1,500 residents of Adegbe-Akuzor, Nkpor Agu in Idemili North Local Government Area of the state, were recently sacked by fresh gully erosion that hit the area.
Two privately owned schools-Diamond Nursery/Primary School and Achievers Corner Nursery/Primary School were destroyed while 13 residential buildings supposedly occupied by over 1,500 people also went down.
Proprietor of Achievers Corner Nursery/Primary School, Okwudili Ekpe, told Daily Sun that the incident destroyed his school building; making it extremely difficult for the pupils to resume classes: “The erosion put the school building in a state of disrepair; making it impossible for our pupils to resume classes.
If not that the incident occurred in a period that the pupils were not in classes, we would be mourning over 700 children in my school.
“We call on the Anambra State government as well as relevant ecological agencies to come to the help of residents of this area; because, the devastation is already beyond the muscle of landlords and ordinary citizens living in this area.”
A resident of the area, Mrs Nkechi Ozoforkansi also said that her family now takes shelter in another area because of the level of devastation caused by the erosion: “The erosion is massive, and devastating. It pulled down many buildings, and destroyed some plots of land. About 13 of buildings occupied by over 1,500 people were affected. Two primary schools were also affected.
“On my own part, I and my family members are presently taking refuge in a friend’s residence because our family house has been pulled into the gully.
We were lucky that none of my family members died in the gully.”
Senior Pastor of the Bible Base Miracle Assembly, Dr. Jerry Nwachukwu, also bemoan the development. He called on Anambra State and Federal Governments to assist the affected people and schools.