Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
Anambra State Governor, Prof. Charles Solud,o has described his state as the erosion capital of Nigeria.
He said that erosion had become a matter of emergency in his state, and that between 30% to 40% of the state land mass was currently threatened by erosion and other ecological problems.
The governor who made this statement Wednesday while speaking to newsmen after meeting with Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo at the State House, Abuja, noted that erosion had become a matter of emergency in his state.
According to him, the state’s entire budget for ten consecutive years would not be sufficient to remedy the situation, adding that only an urgent intervention from the Federal Government and development partners could save the situation.
According to him: “The environment is our number one existential threat; other than security, Anambra is the erosion capital of Nigeria.
“Perhaps, you might know that about 30% to 40% of our land is under threat of erosion, there’s no other state like Anambra, when it comes to erosion.
“Even last week, somewhere between Ezinifite/Orsumenyi Road was cut off again.
“Huge gullies everywhere; Obosi, Oko, Nanka, Agulu, everywhere, there’s erosion menace.
“Like I said, while our landmass is shrinking massively due to erosion and so on, it’s far, far beyond the capacity of a state government to deal with.
“Even if you were to sink the entire budget of the state into dealing with the gully erosion in the state, even if you were to sink all of them for the next ten years, it will still be like a drop in the ocean.”
He, however, disclosed that the State Government had already commenced steps towards introducing better environmental awareness among the people, targeted at limiting factors that worsen the erosion problem.
He also called on the Federal Government and other development partners to come to the rescue of his state.
