EROSION-threatened communities in Abia State have sent an urgent save our soul appeals to both the federal and state governments for help over an existential threat posed by dangerous gully erosion ravaging their ancestral homes.

The rampaging gully erosion is destroying homes, markets, livelihoods and other critical infrastructure and fast pushing residents towards displacement.

Several communities in Abia, particularly those in Isuikwuato, Umunneochi, Bende, Ohafia, Umuahia North, and Umuahia South as well as Aba North and Aba South Council areas, have frighteningly active erosion sites threatening various communities.

Among the worst-hit recently are Amaewu and Amamba Autonomous Communities in Bende Local Government Area as well as Attah Emede Ibeku Autonomous Community in Umuahia North Council, where the locals lamented that the environmental disaster has continued to worsen despite repeated reports to relevant authorities.

They told SEV that they had exhausted their personal resources battling the advancing gullies, lamenting that without immediate intervention, more homes, businesses and livelihoods could cave into the erosion gullies as rains intensify.

At Attah Emede Ibeku, a suburb of Umuahia, a fresh gully that emerged about two weeks ago has split the community’s only access road into two, cutting off several villages, homes and even the palace of the traditional ruler from the rest of the community.

When SEV visited the site, a community leader, Mr. Daniel Onwuka Ikeadighi, said the warning signs first appeared about four years ago and were promptly reported to the Abia State Project Implementation Unit of NEWMAP, but regretted that no remedial work had followed.

“When we noticed the erosion about four years ago, we reported it to NEWMAP. Officials came, took photographs and told us they were waiting for government intervention. Since then, nothing has happened,” he lamented.

Pointing to a building perched dangerously close to the expanding gully, Ikeadighi said the owner died last month and remains in the mortuary because the family can no longer afford his burial.

“Their shop has been cut off by the erosion and business has collapsed. The family has suspended his burial because there is no money. After their house, mine is next. I don’t have money to build another house.”

He added that the erosion had already swallowed three shops, more than 35 palm trees and other economic crops, leaving residents in constant fear whenever it rains.

“We no longer sleep with our eyes closed because we don’t know how many houses the next heavy rainfall will take away.”

The widow of the deceased, Mrs. Chinasa Ugochukwu, said the family’s only source of livelihood—a provision store located beside the damaged road—had been crippled since motorists stopped using the route.

“Our sales have dropped drastically because vehicles can no longer pass here. We have postponed my husband’s burial because we simply cannot afford it,” the distraught widow said.

She added that after part of the shop’s frontage was damaged by the erosion, thieves took advantage of the situation to steal electrical fittings from the premises.

“We are begging the state government to save this road and save our community. We need urgent intervention before more lives and property are lost.”

We have resigned to our fate -Monarch

Speaking with our correspondent, the traditional ruler of the community, HRH Eze Allan Okpokiri, said the residents have resigned themselves to prayers and hope as the erosion continues to threaten lives and property.

He appealed to the government for urgent intervention to prevent further devastation.

“We would have been completely cut off if not for the little alternate access we created. Government should come to our rescue before that house in front of the erosion site collapses. The owner has died, and his family is already devastated after their shop was affected. I am sure they don’t sleep at night.

“So, I appeal for urgent intervention by the government. Even if it is just temporary remedial work during this rainy season, it will help to stop further destruction,” he pleaded.

We’ve spent over N70 million on remedial efforts -Amamba Uzuakoli

Meanwhile, residents of Amamba Uzuakoli Autonomous Community in Bende LGA have raised a fresh alarm over a devastating gully erosion that has destroyed homes, cut off access to farmlands and displaced families, lamenting what they described as years of government neglect despite huge sacrifices by the community.

President-General of the community, Hon. Nelson Umezurike, said the erosion, which started as a minor water channel in 2016, has grown into a disaster after repeated appeals for intervention were ignored.

“The whole community is weeping because what we expected from government has not been done. This gully started like just a drop of water in 2016. We cried to all tiers of government, but nobody came,” he said.

According to him, the community first raised N6.5 million to provide temporary protection for the erosion site, hoping government would subsequently step in.

When that failed, residents raised another N65 million in 2021 for remedial works, only for floodwaters to wash away the intervention within three months.

“Today, what started as a mere channel has collapsed about seven buildings, threatening many others and forcing some residents to abandon their homes. The erosion has also cut off our farm road, leaving us unable to access our farmlands. We are not even sure what we are going to eat next year.”

Umezurike warned that beyond destroying property, the erosion now poses a serious food security threat to the agrarian community, pointing out that continued inaction could worsen the situation.

While acknowledging a recent visit to the site by officials of the Abia State Ministry of Environment and the State Project Implementation Unit of NEWMAP, he insisted that inspections alone would not save the community.

“We want concrete action beyond ordinary visitation. Our people are tired of officials coming to look at the site and leaving. Mere visitation is not bringing hope. What we need now is urgent intervention”, Umezuruike said.

The community leader recalled that the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, who hails from the constituency, visited the erosion site in 2019 and promised assistance, but lamented that no tangible intervention has followed.

He also expressed disappointment that the senator representing the area had neither visited the community nor responded to repeated appeals.

“We have drawn his attention to this several times, but he has not done anything. A senator should know what is happening in his constituency. He has no excuse.”

As the gully continues to advance, the PG said the community had exhausted their resources and could no longer battle the environmental disaster alone, urging both the federal and Abia State governments to urgently intervene before more homes, livelihoods and lives are lost.

Got’s silence worsening Uzuakoli gully erosion -Methodist priest laments.

To add to the agony of the people, another menacing gully erosion has developed right inside the premises of Methodist Church Nigeria, DODD’s Cathedral, Uzuakoli Diocese, which also houses a primary school, thus posing danger to the lives of both innocent school pupils and worshippers alike.

Speaking with our Correspondent during a visit at the site, the minister in charge of the church, Very Rev. Chibuikem Joseph, decried the worsening gully erosion ravaging the church premises, saying years of government’s “visits without concrete action” have left the church and its primary school at risk.

The cleric said the gully had continued to expand with every rainy season despite repeated unanswered appeals for intervention.

“The truth remains that this gully erosion has been here for many years. This is my fifth year here, and instead of improving, it is getting worse every year. As the rains come, it continues to deepen and widen.”

He said the church had, over the years, engaged traditional rulers and relevant authorities to draw government attention to the environmental disaster.

According to him, officials from different government ministries had visited the site on several occasions, but no remedial work had followed.

“We have seen several people from different ministries coming here. They say they were sent by the government, but we have never seen any progress. They only come, inspect the site and leave. If there had been any intervention, you would have seen it.”

Very Rev. Joseph appealed to the Abia State Government to urgently intervene before the gully causes irreversible damage to the church, its primary school and adjoining properties. We need urgent and very serious intervention by the government,” he pleaded.

*Sites critical and very but intervention underway – Abia State Govt.

Responding to concerns over the worsening erosion menace, the Abia State Project Coordinator of the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP), Dr. Nkiruka Maduekwe, said officials had conducted on-the-spot assessments of the affected sites at Uzuakoli and Attah Emede Ibeku, describing them as “highly critical.”

Maduekwe attributed the erosion largely to poorly designed and indiscriminate drainage systems, which she said had accelerated the devastation in the affected communities.

“One of the core causes of erosion is poor drainage. Where drainage is improperly designed or indiscriminately constructed, it creates the kind of havoc we have seen at Attah Emede, Uzuakoli and DODD’s Methodist Church,” she said.

She explained that the recent visits by officials of the Ministry of Environment and NEWMAP were not routine inspections but technical assessments aimed at determining the scope of intervention required.

“We did not go there just for the sake of visiting. We carried out proper assessments and established that the sites are highly critical. The Hon. Commissioner for Environment has also acknowledged this, and actions are underway to ensure prompt intervention.”

The project coordinator also called for greater collaboration between government, communities and other stakeholders to address erosion and promote proper drainage management to prevent further environmental degradation. (Vanguard)

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