Governor Willie Obiano has asked the Federal Government of Nigeria to profile Anambra state as an erosion disaster zone and subsequently declare a state of emergency in the state. This comes after international organisations like the Global Environmental Facility and Special Climate Change Fund donated $3.96 million and $4.63 million respectively to salvage the situation.

During a meeting held at the Governor’s lodge in Amawbia, Mr Obiano welcomed the delegates on inspection of the erosion sites in the state. The team was led by Honourable Obinna Chidoka, the chairman house of representatives committee on Erosion and Habitat.

Obiano says that if the crisis is not averted within the next 10 years, Anambra State will lose a better part of its land area to erosion and this can be a major threat to the development of the state.

Concerned about the erosion threat, Honourable Chidoka assured the governor at the end of the tour that the committees’ recommendations would enable the federal government to act with a sense of urgency in addressing the gully erosion ravaging not only in Anambra but other Southeast states.

Also, Governor Willie Obiano stressed that the challenge is beyond the state capacity to tackle the dangers on erosion and he hopes that the visitor from the house of representatives would make a case that will cause the federal government to intervene in the crisis.

Although in the past, the state government made efforts to curb the danger emanating from erosion, but the situation was out of control which prompted the call by governors of states affected by the intervention of federal government and international agencies to fight the menace.

In 2013, the federal government received World Bank’s commitment of $500 million to tackle the gully erosion crisis in two communities in Anambra State. However, the federal government was said to have commenced the implementation of the 19 billion naira Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management project in 7 southern states of the country. Even with the past donation and intervention, the present governor is still worried about the environmental condition in the state.

Yearly, Nigeria experiences the dry and rainy seasons. However, many families in some parts of the South East have been forced to abandon their homes due to the large outpour during the rainy season. In most cases, lack of proper drainage system and often times the gutter is usually blocked by debris disallowing the free flow of water, hence, resulting in flood and creating gully erosion.

Apart from houses under threat by the erosion, well-constructed roads likewise develop cracks as a result of the excessive flood. Initially, during the rainy season when the environment gets flooded, small holes were formed which later expanded and caused the crisis situation we see now. Also, farmers run at a loss because farmlands are washed away and livestock are displaced as well as ordinary citizens who reside in such communities.

Still, Anambra state is prominent for such cases as some families have abandoned their houses located in gully erosion sites that are up to 100 feet deep. The state has the highest record of erosion sites with over 1000 visible cases, but excessive flooding resulting to gully erosion is also peculiar to other states in the Southeast geopolitical zone which include some parts of Enugu, Imo, and Cross River.

Nanka-Agulu-Oko axis near Onitsha, Ojoto, Alor, Umuchiana in Ekwulobia, Ozubulu, Oraifite, Uli and Awka among other areas are well-known erosion cities in Anambra State.