By Tony Okafor, Awka
A retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Chief Celestine Okoye (Uzuakpundu), has described the Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, Chief Victor Umeh, OFR, as a compassionate leader who listens to the concerns of his constituents, following the Senator’s visit to erosion-ravaged communities in the district.
Okoye spoke on Friday when Umeh inspected areas badly affected by erosion in Umudioka, Awka, where several homes, roads, farmlands and livelihoods have been threatened or destroyed.
The retired police chief was among residents whose properties Umeh visited during the inspection. The Senator also visited properties belonging to Chief Diamond Nweke, Mr Okwuchukwu Nweke and other residents affected by the erosion.
Commending Umeh for personally visiting the affected areas, Okoye said the Senator’s decision to see the devastation firsthand demonstrated concern for the plight of his constituents.
“We appreciate Senator Umeh for coming to see the situation for himself. This is a serious problem that requires urgent action,” Okoye said.
He described Umeh as a compassionate leader who listens to the people, expressing optimism that the Senator’s intervention would attract the attention of the Federal Government and relevant agencies responsible for tackling ecological disasters.
“We are hopeful that the Senator’s intervention will bring the necessary attention to this erosion crisis and help prevent further loss of lives and property,” he added.
Umeh, who expressed concern over the worsening erosion and flooding situation, called for urgent and coordinated intervention by the Federal Government and relevant agencies.
He said he would bring the matter before the National Assembly through legislative motions and engagements with the appropriate federal authorities when legislative activities resume after the annual recess.
“This situation requires urgent and coordinated intervention. The scale of the destruction demands the attention of the Federal Government and the relevant agencies responsible for erosion and ecological disaster management,” Umeh said.
The Senator noted that the problem was not peculiar to Umudioka, stressing that several communities across Anambra Central were facing similar threats from erosion and flooding.
According to him, affected communities in Awka and Idemili North, including Obosi and Ogidi, also require sustained attention and practical measures to prevent further destruction of lives and property.
The inspection came amid growing concerns over the impact of erosion and flooding on communities across Anambra State, with residents calling for coordinated intervention to protect homes, infrastructure, farmlands and livelihoods.
