Residents of Onitsha, Anambra’s commercial capital are facing one of their worst erosion threats. The residents are worried that their lives and livelihoods may be lost if steps are not taken by the authorities to urgently address the menace.
When reporters visited the area, it was observed that the intervention work awarded by the Anambra State government has been abandoned for over three years now.
In Obelegu Street off Awka Road, Onitsha is a scary site created by gully erosion. The people said many have been rendered homeless, others have lost their means of livelihood and more havoc awaits them if nothing is done urgently to prevent the disaster.
The effort by the Anambra State government to construct a major drainage channel that will help check the erosion failed as the project site seemed to have been abandoned.
But the state government on their part said with over 1, 000 active erosion sites scattered across the 21 council areas, the said project was only suspended to attend to more serious erosion sites in the state.
They, however, appealed to the people to exercise a little patience.
With the rains around the corner, there are heightened fears that crisis awaits the residents in the area. But with their plight rated by the government as less imminent, they only have to hope and pray.