Residents of Ihembosi, a community in Ekwusigo Local Government Area in Anambra State have raised alarm over the increasing scope of the erosion in the area.
The town, sandwiched between Okija, Ukpor and Ozubulu, is already on the verge of being lost to erosion, as the menace is gradually taking over hectares of land due to the lack of drainages.
The community, made up of eight villages – Umuabo, Umunakwa, Uhualor, Chiekenta, Otukwe , Onucha, Ubahu and Umuohi – is being threatened by flood, with over 12,000 hectares of land already largely eroded.
Daily Trust investigation revealed that residents are already relocating to other towns as a result of loss of lives, farmlands and other properties to the erosion.
The vice-president general of the community, Okoye Uzor Herbert, said the road was awarded for construction in 2016 but was abandoned by the contractor.
“Most of the flood that gushes into people’s homes come from Ihembosi, Ozubulu, Ukpor road which was contracted in 2016 but it was abandoned until recently.
“It took series of advocacies by the community, in coalition with Community Based Monitors of the Voice to the People project and even threats to get the contractor mobilised just a few days before the election.
“As at three weeks ago, the contractor was telling us that he was yet to be mobilised to commence work on the site. But it seems that he was mobilised soon after, as we started seeing some activities and heavy duty vehicles on the site,” he said.
He however expressed worry over the delay in the work and the size of the drainage system, insisting that the gutters should be larger and deeper than the conventional to contain the high level of flood that occurs in the community whenever it rained.
According to Herbert, no fewer than 200 houses would be lost in the community in the next eight months if the contractor handling the construction of the badly damaged road did not revert to original specification.
He said the Ihembosi-Ozubulu road construction grossly increased the pace with which erosion is claiming hectares of land which placed the area at the brink of extinction.
Daniel Eze, chairman of Umuohi village and one of the few men who have refused to abandon his property and relocate, said the erosion had taken over all their farmlands which was the only asset he had left for his children, and is on the verge of taking over their homestead.
“I am losing my farmlands and my children do not have any land for inheritance anymore. I have no other place to go and that is the only reason I have stayed put. All my neighbours have abandoned their houses and farmlands and relocated to neighbouring villages and towns.
“Anytime it rains, the sound of the rushing flood terrifies every homestead in Ihembosi, everywhere gets flooded and our community records loss of lives and properties,” narrated the old man.
He also advocated proper channelling of the flood with high capacity gutters to Ubu River to reduce the pace at which erosion is taking over the area known as Ihembosi.
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