Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has appealed to the Federal Government to quickly intervene in the washed-off portion of the Onitsha-Owerri Road by Oba in Idemili South Local Government Area of the State.
Ikengaonline reports that more than one lane of the road has been completely cut-off by gully erosion resulting from recent repeated heavy downpour.
Soludo, who made the appeal during an on the spot inspection of the devastation Sunday said the road is greatly threatened and may be cut-off completely if nothing is done.
The governor who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Ernest Ezeajughi, said his government is acting on an emergency basis while expecting the Federal Government intervention.
He revealed that Anambra State had over 1,000 active gully erosion sites, adding that this unfortunate incidence is just one out the many other erosion sites across in the state.
“We are appealing to the Federal Government to quickly intervene and save this road from total collapse,” Mr. Ezeajughi said.
The Commissioner for Works, Engr. Ifeanyi Okoma, explained that the erosion is a major one standing along Onitsha-Owerri Road.
He noted that Anambra State Government is doing an intervention action with Soludo’s approval to arrest the situation and stop the progression of the erosion which he stressed that Tamad Construction Limited has begun already.
“Having achieved the first objective already, the second objective is to stop more erosion slide while the State waits for the Federal Government,” the Commissioner said.
On his part, the Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Felix Odimegwu, described erosion as an existential threat in the state and called for increased ecological funding.
He said that the state government has been rendering palliative measures to stabilise the level of damage that has occurred, while pleading with the Federal Government to intervene on erosion crises scattered across the state.
Meanwhile, the President-General of Oba Community, Sir Obadi Ifedili, appreciated Governor Soludo for sending his team to inspect the gully erosion that has been a prevailing problem and also pleaded with the Federal Government for a quick reaction on the Federal road.
