By Tony Okafor, Awka
The Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has called for the intervention of both the Federal Government and development partners on the gully erosion at Umuagu, Nnobi road, on the Nnobi-Ideani-Nkpor federal road.
Soludo who made the call when he paid on -the-spot-assessment visit to the location, promised that his government would begin immediate remedial measures.
Our correspondent gathered that the road which is strategic had been cut into half by deep gully erosion thereby encumbering movement of motorists plying it.
Inspecting the devastation, Soludo acknowledged the road as a major highway, describing Anambra as the erosion capital of the world because of hundreds of erosion sites scattered across the state.
He stated that already his government had been dispensing funds and intervening on the Onitsha-Owerri road which is a major entrance into Onitsha.
Soludo pointed out that it was high time people embarked on preventive measures against gully erosion ravaging the state
He called for collective action by both government and the people to control run-off water from various compounds by digging water retention pits within their compounds, non-blockage of drainage systems, among others, in order to mitigate the causes of erosion.
The Governor also stressed that communities had a huge role to play to ensure compliance and advocated positive attitude towards the environment to prevent landslides and gully erosion
The governor also embarked on inspection to some roads in Nnobi and Nnewi, including the popular bank road.
After taking a walk on the long stretch of the road, the governor observed that there were obstructions and illegal structures on the road as well as on top of the drainage system.
He gave assurance that such illegalities would be corrected and that the road would also be constructed to make it wider and accessible
The Commissioner for Works, Engr. Ifeanyi Okoma, his Culture and Entertainment counterpart, Mr. Don Onyenji, SA on Youth Empowerment, Dr Nelson Omenugha, Transition Committee Chairman for Idemili South Local Government area, Hon Amaka Obi, among others accompanied the governor on the inspection visits.
