Erosion sacks 300 homes in Anambra community

About three hundred families have been sacked by the gully erosion occasioned by flood disaster in six villages of Amawbia Community in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

This incident which has cut off the community from its kits and kins from the neighbouring, Nise, Nibo, Umuokpu and Agukwu Nnri towns have stopped about four thousand school children from going to school while two escaped from being washed away by the flood.

According to the Director of Community Environmental Media Awareness (CEMA) Mr Okey Maduforo, said: “the situation needs urgent attention by the state government before the entire community is sacked”.

“Also affected by the erosion include, Union secondary school, Kabe College, May Rose Hotel as the link roads to those public facilities have become inaccessible by motorists and other road users in Adebebe village”.

The menace also cut off the residence of the member representing Awka South II State constituency Mr Chukwuma Okoye (aka) Nwanayoeze.

The lawmaker could not be reached as at the time of this report as he was said to be away on an oversight function.

The Adebebe road construction was commenced three days to the conduct of state Assembly elections only to be abandoned after the election hence paving way for the perennial flood and ultimate gully erosion in the area.

When schools resumed yesterday no fewer than four thousand pupils and students could not return to their schools as vehicular movements have become impossible and school children had to carry their boxes across the gully.

Also, farmlands and buildings under construction along Adebebe-Nise road now hang on the cliff as the next heavy rain would surely sweep them into the Obibia River in the area.

Maduforo, said just last week, two children were saved from their untimely graves when the last Wednesdays rainfall flushed them into the gully while they were coming back from the farm and it took the timely intervention of workers at a building site to save the situation.

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According to one of the children Miss Tochi Nwanna 16yrs old, “we were carrying firewood on that day and the flood was too much and we did not know where to step on and suddenly my younger brother fell into the flood and when I tried to hold him, I did not know how I fell in also”.

“He was inside the flood and I was crying for help until some people working in that building came and helped us,” she said.

When contacted the duo of the Principal, Secretary to the Anambra state Governor Mr Willie Nwokoye, the Head of Service Barr. Harry Uduh all sons of Amawbia Community directed reporters to the ministry of works and the commissioner was said to be away on official assignment.

Efforts to reach the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Ozo Victor Oye, also a son of Amawbia community proved abortive as he did not pick his calls.

Also Speaking on the development, Chief Executive Officer of Ticon Shopping Centre, Chief Obiajulu Nwokoye said.

“It is sad that my community which is housing the governor’s lodge is facing this type of problem. Just imagine what is going on here. This road takes you to Nise, Agulu, Agukwu Nri down to Nanka and Ekwulobia”.

“The road is gone and at every election from the days of the former governor, they will come and do one magic and claim to have flagged off the road only to abandon it after the election”.

“Even the electric Power Supply is almost non-existent. We only enjoy power supply once every week and that is from 2 am to 4 am weekly.

With the types of rainfall this September, only God Almighty can save us from this menace”.