Erosion displaces 500 residents, destroys 100 houses in Anambra

Reports show that erosion has displaced over 500 residents, and destroyed 100 houses in Enugwu-Ukwu community, Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The Guardian reports that, when officials of the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) visited the erosion site to ascertain the level of damage caused by erosion in the area, a community leader, Mr. Nwadinigwe Emmanuel, said that erosion had equally destroyed their available sources of livelihood and many homes, lamenting that it had created a lot of hardship for the community, especially during this economic recession.

He told The Guardian that: “ The natural disaster has damaged many farmlands, economic trees, and public utilities in the affected land mass. No fewer than 100 homes have been washed away while many others are under serious threat”.

He added that the disaster, which began over 30 years ago, has left the community in deplorable condition.

Nwadinigwe, who regretted that many villagers, were now living as tenants as a result of their homes being washed away by the erosion, however said that they made several efforts to control the erosion at the initial stage by planting bamboo and gmelina trees, which were futile.

Meanwhile, the Anambra State Project Coordinator of NEWMAP, Michael Ivenso, and Director of Communication, Aries Concept Nigeria Ltd., which partners with NEWMAP, Sola Akinsikun, in their separate speeches, assured that remedial work would start in the area soon, The Guardian reports.

Ivenso further implored the residents to embrace positive environmental practices to ensure that further damage was not done in their community.

Source: The Guardian