Obosi erosion: Over 300 buildings threatened as residents seek urgent government intervention
By Sunny A. David, Awka
Residents of Obosi in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State have raised the alarm over a worsening gully erosion crisis threatening more than 300 buildings in the community.
The situation became a major concern on Sunday when more than 200 women from Obosi visited the erosion site at Ugumuma village to appeal for urgent government intervention.
Their visit coincided with an inspection of the affected area by the senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District, Chief Victor Umeh, who assessed the extent of the devastation and ongoing emergency efforts led by an indigene of the community, Engr. Nnamdi Eric Anyamele.
One of the residents, Ngozi, said the erosion began gradually from the nearby Idemili River but was allegedly aggravated by sand-mining activities. According to her, the gully has continued to expand into residential areas, forcing some residents to relocate their belongings to safer places for fear of further destruction.
The President-General of the Obosi Development Union, Mr Chimezie Obi, said the community had made several attempts to control the erosion but had been unable to stop its spread.
Obi expressed hope that Senator Umeh’s visit would help attract the attention of the relevant government authorities and bring about a lasting solution to the crisis.
Also speaking, Anyamele, whose property is among those threatened by the erosion, said he and other residents had previously invested substantial resources in efforts to control the gully.
He said, however, that subsequent flooding destroyed the measures put in place, prompting him to mobilise engineers from Abuja to undertake emergency intervention works.
The Principal of Union Secondary School, Ugumuma, Mrs Ebere Comfort Onugha, also appealed for immediate assistance, warning that the erosion was gradually cutting off the road leading to the school.
She stressed the need for urgent action to prevent the situation from disrupting access to the school and endangering students and staff.
Senator Umeh sympathised with the affected residents and commended Anyamele for his efforts to mitigate the crisis.
He promised to engage relevant Senate committees and federal agencies in a bid to secure government intervention and develop a permanent solution to the erosion menace.
An engineer working at the site, Mr Meze Andrew, disclosed that the gully was approximately 12 metres deep and 200 metres long.
He noted that the scale of the erosion was beyond the capacity of individuals to handle alone, assuring that his firm would continue working to control the situation while awaiting broader government intervention.
Residents are now calling for urgent and coordinated action by the state and federal authorities to prevent further destruction of homes, roads and other critical infrastructure in the community.
