By Our Correspondent
Residents of Ezewuzie Street, near the new Anambra Government Light House in Awka, have abandoned their homes as a massive gully and erosion have rendered the street virtually impassable.
The situation, residents said, has been worsened by persistent flash floods, which have turned the once-accessible street into a frightening stretch of bushy footpaths, sand dunes and deep gullies between two hills.
Ezewuzie Street links the Anambra Government House area to Ifite Road and terminates directly opposite St. Anthony’s Catholic Church.
A visit to the area showed that motorists and tricycle operators can no longer use the road, while many residents now have to negotiate dangerous footpaths to access their homes.
The erosion has also left several houses standing as much as two metres above the road level. In some cases, residents have had to construct steps just to climb from the road into their compounds.
A resident who identified himself simply as Nnamdi said most of the buildings on Ezewuzie Street and adjoining streets had been deserted as tenants moved out and some landlords abandoned their homes.
According to him, the street becomes a death trap whenever it rains, as floodwaters rush through the area with such force that they could sweep away people.
Nnamdi said residents had hoped that the establishment of the new Government House nearby would bring relief to the area, but regretted that they were now living in conditions worse than those in some rural communities.
He appealed to the state government to intervene, saying the authorities might not be fully aware of the severity of the situation.
Another resident, Mrs Judith Okoye, described Ezewuzie Street as the easiest access route into the area before erosion and flooding rendered it unusable except by pedestrians.
Okoye commended residents for attempting to control the damage with sandbags and other measures but said the scale of the problem was beyond what individuals could handle.
“Only the government can recover this space. The people are trying, but it is not enough. We need urgent government assistance,” she said.
“Most of the buildings you see here are empty. People have deserted them because there is no access road. Yet, we are facing a serious housing deficit.
“Something has to be done to save lives and property, not just in Ezewuzie but in the streets around it,” she added.
Ezewuzie Street is among several streets in Awka where residents are calling for urgent government intervention over deteriorating roads, flooding and erosion.
