The Imo State House of Assembly has urged the state governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, to consider the imminence of the 2024 rains and the possibility of the entire Umuchima community in Ideato South Local Government Area of the state going into extinction, if immediate, urgent and proper actions are not taken.
The House resolved to collectively pay a solidarity visit to the erosion site and commiserate with the community over the unforeseen event and reassure them of government’s intervention to address the matter as quickly as possible.
The House also resolved to write a letter to the National Emergency Management Authority, the Federal Road Maintenance Agency and Federal Ministry of Works to include the community road among other roads that need emergency attention in the first quarter of 2024.
These resolutions followed a motion for urgent intervention in the devastating gully erosion in Umuchima community and other parts of Ideato South Local Government Area, chiefly sponsored by the member representing Ideato South state constituency, Johnson Duru, on the floor of the House during plenary, presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Amarachi Iwuanyanwu.
Leading debate on the motion, Duru noted that the dreaded erosion was caused by a drastic ravaging ecological disaster, adding that close to 80 per cent of the community in question, and some other parts of Ideato South were on the verge of going into extinction, as significant portion of the area collapsed before the earth surface.
He emphasized that the extent of the gully erosion devastation was so strong that lives and properties in the area and its environs were on the verge of extinction, if immediate and urgent steps were not taken.
He said, “The gully erosion has decimated residential buildings, shops and the well-known Nkwo Umuchima is almost eroded. The depth of the gully erosion presently is over 100 feet, spanning a distance of almost two kilometres.
The site has greatly affected economic activities in the area and Anambra State, which has a link road from Orlu-Umuchima-Akokwa and Uga in Anambra State.
Most of the lawmakers, who spoke supported the motion. Among them was the member representing Ideato North state constituency, Ernest Udeze.
But, opposing the motion, the Deputy Minority Leader, Clinton Amadi, recalled that the then government of Senator Rochas Okorocha awarded the contract to a group of contractors, who were mobilized with state fund but abandoned the project, even as he called for proper investigation and accountability of the funds.
