Three Anambra Communities Face Extinction As Erosion Destroys Lives, Houses, Farmlands

Raymond Ozoji, Awka

Another rainfall season would be worst nightmares for Agulu, Nanka and Oko communites of Anambra state due to the insurgent gully erosions that have destroyed lives, houses and farmlands in these communities.

The rate at which erosion is currently ravaging the communities is better imagined than seen as about four houses have recently caved into the deep abyss of the dreaded gully.

It is indeed a precarious situation as villagers living in the erosion-infested communites are in a dilemma because of the magnitude of the gully as well as its attendant catastrophe.

A letter written to the country director of world Bank in Abuja, jointly endorsed by His Royal Highness Dr. Innocent Obodoakor the traditional ruler of Agulu community, His Royal Highness Igwe Godwin Ezeilo of Nanka community, His Royal Highness Igwe Prof. Laz Ekwueme of Oko community, Chief Damian Okeke Ogene -coordinator Erosion Management Committee and Dr. Barnabas Nwafor- secretary Erosion Management Committee, made available to newsmen in Awka yesterday during a press conference, further revealed the fate of the inhabitants of the erosion-affected communities.

Speaking further on the blight cast on Agulu, Nanka and Oko communities as a result of the erosion menace, the coordinator of the Erosion Management Committee and state president of Ohaneze Ndigbo in Anambra state Chief Damian Okeke Ogene said that the communities in question have lamented so bitterly about loss of lives and properties.

Ogene also disclosed that the palace of the traditional ruler of Oko community is already being threatened by the gully erosion, stressing that a town between Oko, Nanka and Agulu has been wiped off completely by the erosion menace even as he also informed that over 20 houses have been washed away and that the people are currently living in fear.

However, the letter written to the country director of world Bank on the spate of erosion menace in the affected communities read in parts, “Some time ago, your NEWMAP people paid several visits to our three communities and mobilized us to support their preliminary works like engineering design, survey, resettlement plan and environmental impact assessment.

“A short while ago, NEWMAP people made a sort of display and gave twenty-one days for all the affected people to cross-check their names for possible corrections. The deadline has since elapsed and nearly one year after, we are yet to receive any information on when the contractors will begin work.

“We are hereby pleading that you use your good offices to cause urgent intervention at Agulu-Nanka-Oko as promised by NEWMAP without delay. Any further delay will not only amount to loss of lives and properties but will also add to escalated costs.”