Two die, buildings, farm lands destroyed as gully erosion ravages Abia community

*Don’t allow erosion server us from the rest of Abia, community leaders beg Otti

From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia

*Part of the erosion site

The over two-kilometre stretch, havoc-wreaking gully erosion ravaging Umuizundu community in Umuogele Autonomous Community of Amuda Isuochi in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State has claimed two lives, cut the entire community into two,  swallowed many buildings, with 15 currently under severe threat, devastated hectares of farmlands and destroyed cash crops.

These gory incidents have prompted the leadership of the community to cry out to Governor Lex Otti and his administration to urgently come to the rescue of Umuizundu Community and her people by controlling the erosion menace before it wipes the community off the face of the earth.

They said that the scope of the disaster which developed from  wrong channelling of waterways by an NDDC contractor, has defied local remedies, expressing fears that the community may be cut off from neigbouring communities before the end of the rainy season, this year, if no urgent remedial action was taken.

Traditional Ruler of Umuogele Autonomous Community, Eze Edwin Madu, represented by Chief Uwalaka Onwuanaku, lamented that the erosion recently claimed the lives of two youths of the community.

The Royal Father attributed the gully in the area to channeling of all waterways to the community by the NDDC Contractor who handled the Nkwoagu-Mbala road in 2017.

Eze Madu noted that the strategically located Umuizundu  Community serves as gateway to many communities and towns in Isuochi, apart from linking the local government to neighboring Enugu state.

“This Community is deeply devastated by the situation which has endangered the lives and property of my people. Worse still, it has the potential of scaring away businessmen and Investors from this community. In fact, we are in a state of emergency, as far as this erosion menace is concerned,” Eze Madu said.

He therefore passionately appealed to the state Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, to save the community from the impending doom.

Earlier, Chairman of the Community, Elder Daniel Okoroafor, while conducting newsmen round areas in the firm grip of the gully, had expressed fears that if nothing is done urgently by government to check the erosion, the community was at the risk of being cut off from the rest of Abia as their lives and property were already in great danger.

Elder Okoroafor, accompanied by other community stakeholders, noted that the erosion menace  has coursed through more than two Kilometers of land, destroying hectares of farm lands and cash crops.

He disclosed that efforts by the people to check the disaster through planting of bamboos, palm trees and other protective trees along the erosion flash floods  path have proved ineffective, lamenting that the scope of the gully was clearly beyond their control.

The Umuizundu Community leader equally recalled that palliative measures by the immediate past administration in the state to contain the disaster, have also been washed away by the erosion, adding that if the menace was left unchecked, the Umuizundu-Amuda-Mbala-Oji River road would not be spared, as well as the neighbouring communities of  Mbala, Achara, Ugwueme and Ihie, among others.

According to Elder Okoroafor, some government functionaries have conducted feasibility study of the disaster but have yet to come forward with any possible assistance.

But he expressing optimism that the state government could attract the federal government or donor agencies for collaboration in checking the menace.

In their contributions, some of the stakeholders, including the Very Rev. Godwin Ikechukwu, Elder Joshua Madu and Elder Onuoha Okpara, lamented that the disaster has already divided their community into two and joined in appealing to the state government to urgently save the community from the rampaging gully.

They commended Governor Otti for his good works, especially in the areas of road Construction and human capital development, security, particularly in checking kidnapping in Umunneochi and prayed him to give attention to their call for help, while pledging their continued support to his administration.