Anambra Community Sends SOS to Govts, As Erosion Sacks Seven Families

By Izunna Okafor

The people of Ekwulumili in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State have called on both federal and state governments over the ravaging effects of erosion in the community.

The President-General of the community, Chief Clement Ezeifedikwa, who made the call on behalf of the community revealed that the town have been battling erosion menace since the period of Nigeria-Biafra Civil War.

According to him, the most annoying and disappointing part of it is that government, from the military era to civilian administration, at the federal and state levels, has practically done nothing to salvage the situation, while the community, through self-help, had spent more than N8 million to fight the menace, all to no avail. He noted that the communal efforts were just like a scratch, given the size of the erosion sites and extent of damages so far recorded.

He said: “The erosion started immediately after the civil war. All efforts to check it proved abortive. There was a bridge we constructed after the war but the erosion destroyed it and washed everything away. This happened at Umudim village.

“It has cut off all the major roads that link us with our neighbours. It has cut our link with Unubi community. The erosion menace has sacked seven families, destroyed their houses, uprooted economic trees, killed several domestic animals and many acres of our farmlands are not spared. In fact, a rough estimate of what our community has lost so far stands at over N400 million and we are still counting, until positive intervention comes.

“We are appealing to both federal and state governments to come to our rescue. It is beyond our control and governement should know that we are on fire. We need help urgently. We, as a community, cannot afford the amount of money the sites will still gulp.”

Chief Ezeifedikwa, a retired Assistant Commissioner of Police, said all promises of intervention made by the government had remained unfulfilled till date. He said the erosion had encroached to the boundary through which members of Ekwulumili community could cross to Imo State, thereby cutting them off from Okigwe through Akaokwa town.

He further appealed to the federal and state governments to please come to the community's rescue to salvage the situation, as more abandonment will only aggravate the situation.