From Henrietta Ashikodi, Umuahia
Fear, frustration, and uncertainty have gripped residents of Amaewu Umueze Amamba in Uzuakoli Ancient Kingdom, Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, as a rapidly expanding gully erosion continues to destroy homes, cut off roads, and render farmlands inaccessible.
Leading the appeal, the President General of Uzuakoli Ancient Kingdom, Chief Barr. Prince Chigoziem Okechukwu, said the environmental disaster has reached a critical stage. He warned that without urgent intervention, more families risk losing their homes and sources of livelihood.
According to him, the community has repeatedly sought help from government officials and intervention agencies over the years. Appeals, he said, have been made to the member representing Bende Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, the Senator representing Abia North, the Abia State Ministry of Environment, the Governor’s Special Adviser on Environment, Prof. Ijeoma Iheukwumere, and the NEWMAP Erosion Control Programme.
The community acknowledged the prompt response of the Abia State Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Philemon Ogbonna, who visited the site shortly after receiving their complaint. They expressed hope that his visit would lead to immediate government action to save the community.
Community leaders also revealed that they previously committed about ₦58 million of community resources to contain the erosion. Despite the sacrifice, they said, the disaster has continued to spread.
Some residents expressed disappointment over what they described as inadequate attention from some elected representatives, noting that stronger intervention was expected considering the scale of destruction.
Traditional rulers and residents said the erosion has robbed many families of their ancestral homes, prevented farmers from accessing their farmlands, and left many young people without safe land on which to build their future.
“With every rainfall, the gully grows wider and deeper,” they said, expressing fresh fears that more buildings could collapse if urgent erosion control measures are not undertaken.
The community has therefore made a passionate appeal to the Federal Government, the Abia State Government, and all relevant intervention agencies to treat the situation as an emergency and commence immediate erosion control works before the community suffers further devastating losses.
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