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Abia pledges urgent action on threatening gully erosion sites – EnviroNews
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The Abia State Government has pledged immediate intervention at three severe gully erosion sites threatening lives, property and farmlands in Bende and Umuahia North Local Government Areas.
The commitment followed an on-the-spot assessment by officials of the State Ministry of Environment and the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project-European Investment Bank Assisted (NEWMAP-EIB).
The inspection covered erosion sites in Uzuakoli, Bende Local Government Area, and Attah Emede in Umuahia North, where officials described the destruction as alarming.
Addressing journalists on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, after the inspection, the Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Philemon Ogbonna, said the Attah Emede site required urgent government intervention.
Ogbonna disclosed that preliminary approval had already been secured for intervention works at Attah Emede, while a proposal had been forwarded to Gov. Alex Otti for final approval.
“Something is already being done at Attah Emede. We have secured approval in principle and forwarded a proposal to His Excellency for intervention works.
“Within the next few days, work will commence once final approval is given,” the commissioner assured.
Ogbonna urged residents living close to the expanding gully to evacuate immediately, warning that the erosion was advancing rapidly and posed a serious danger.
“The speed at which this erosion is progressing is alarming. I do not want any life lost.
“Let those living around the area vacate. Mitigation works will begin there very soon,” he said.
The commissioner also disclosed that a memo seeking emergency intervention at the Amamba Uzuakoli erosion site would be forwarded to the governor.
He advised residents against dumping refuse into gullies and engaging in activities that worsen erosion across affected communities.
“Wherever these erosion sites exist, keep away and do not engage in activities that aggravate the situation.
“We can always recover land, but we cannot recover life lost,” Ogbonna warned.
The NEWMAP-EIB Project Coordinator, Dr Nkiruka Chidia-Maduekwe, said the assessment followed distress calls received on Friday from the affected communities.
She described the level of destruction at both locations as heartbreaking but assured residents that the government was addressing the emergency.
“What we saw is very disheartening. There is a huge threat to life and property. But government is on top of the situation,” she said.
Chidia-Maduekwe explained that the Attah Emede site and the Uzuakoli site at Dodd’s Methodist Church had been combined into one project under NEWMAP Phase Two.
She said the two locations were among three priority erosion sites identified for intervention under the European Investment Bank-assisted phase of the programme.
According to her, the governor has approved intervention at Attah Emede, while approval for emergency works at Uzuakoli is still being awaited.
She attributed the worsening erosion largely to inadequate drainage systems and indiscriminate disposal of refuse into waterways.
“When roads are built without proper drainage, you get this kind of devastation.
“I was at Attah Emede recently, and within a week the place had disintegrated to the point where a road was cut into two.
“A shop and an entire family are now at risk,” Chidia-Maduekwe lamented.
She urged residents to avoid building on waterways and flood plains while ensuring proper drainage channels within their communities.
The President-General of Ohabuike Amamba Development Association, Uzuakoli, Mr Nelson Umuzurike, thanked the government for responding to the community’s appeal.
“We have been waiting for government action. This erosion has cut off our farm roads. We don’t know how we will harvest this year or next.
“We are pleading for urgent action. We know our governor is a talk-and-do governor,” Umuzurike added.
Also speaking, Attah Emede community leader, Chief Uzoka Iheukwumere, appealed to the state government to urgently rescue residents facing increasing danger.
“Our lives and property are at risk here because of this gully erosion. We have written to several government agencies.
“We are appealing to the governor to come to our rescue,” Iheukwumere pleaded.
By Leonard Okachie