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The erosion menace ravaging Ugumuma village in Obosi, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, has placed about 300 buildings at risk, prompting the senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, Chief Victor Umeh, to call for urgent intervention by the Federal Government.
Umeh made the call when he inspected the erosion site, where a massive gully is threatening homes, infrastructure and access roads within the community.
The senator commended an illustrious son of Obosi, Nnamdi Eric Anyamele, an engineer, for engaging erosion-control engineers to undertake immediate palliative measures at the site.
He, however, stressed that individual efforts could not adequately address the scale of the environmental disaster, urging the Federal Government and relevant agencies to intervene before the situation worsens.
Umeh assured the community that he would leverage his position in the National Assembly to engage relevant Senate committees and federal agencies with a view to securing the necessary intervention.
President-general of Obosi Development Union (ODU), Mr. Chimezie Obi, who accompanied the senator to the site, said the community had made several attempts to contain the erosion but was unable to match the increasing scale of the problem.
Obi acknowledged the contributions of individuals who had intervened financially and otherwise, expressing optimism that Umeh’s visit would help attract the attention of the relevant government authorities.
The erosion has also raised concerns over the safety and accessibility of Union Secondary School, Ugumuma, Obosi.
The principal of the school, Mrs. Ebere Onugha, represented by a teacher, Mrs. Chidimma Okoro, appealed to both the state and federal governments to urgently intervene.
She said the erosion was gradually cutting off the access road to the school, posing a serious threat to students, teachers and the smooth running of academic activities.
Anyamele, whose residence is also under threat, explained that he and some other residents had, a few months ago, contributed substantial funds to check the advancing erosion.
According to him, the intervention was, however, overwhelmed when the rains intensified, with flooding washing away the control measures and further expanding the gully.
He said he subsequently engaged an erosion-control firm to undertake additional remedial work, stressing that the intervention was intended to keep the situation under control pending comprehensive intervention by the government and relevant agencies.
An engineer working at the site, Mr. Meze Andrew, said the gully was approximately 12 metres deep and 200 metres long, describing the scale of the erosion as beyond what private individuals could effectively handle.
Andrew said his company would work to bring the erosion to a manageable level, in line with the contract specifications, but noted that sustainable control of the menace would require substantial funding from government and development agencies, including the World Bank.
The development has renewed calls for urgent and comprehensive intervention to prevent further damage to homes, roads and other critical infrastructure in the community.
