Abia govt intervenes as gully erosion swallows buildings in Umuobia, Umuchime

The Abia State government has said it is aware of the devastating gully erosion threatening the residents of Umuobia Olokoro housing estate, in Umuahia South LGA of the State.

The Commissioner for Environment in the state, Mr Philemon Ogbonna made this known in Umuahia while reacting to complaints by terrified residents of Umuobia, whose buildings had been pulled down by widening gully erosion.

Ogbonna, who said he had visited the affected areas to personally assess the ecological damage done by the gully erosion, assured the residents of the estate that the state government would not abandon them but would take the best possible action to save them.

The Commissioner explained that efforts were on to start remediation work on the sites to contain the situation.

He further noted that the present administration, being aware of the gully menace threatening various communities in Abia, would not rest until the problems were tackled.

Apart from Umobia housing estate, the Commissioner for Environment said his ministry also inspected gully erosion sites at Umuchime Ogbodi in Umuahia South LGA, Ohokobe Afaraukwu Ibeku, Isiama Afara, Umuagu Ibeku in Umuahia North LGA among other areas suffering from erosion challenges.

DAILY POST learned that more than three buildings have already been pulled down in Umuobia housing estate, rendering the occupants, including retired civil servants, homeless.

Also at Umuchime Ogbodi, two buildings and important economic trees were pulled down by the deep gully, which also cut off the villagers from major access roads to their farms.