The Commissioner for Environment Mr Philemon Ogbonna says steps are being taken for intervention work on Emede Ibeku Gully.
The Commissioner who disclosed this while on an inspection tour to the gully site alongside the State project coordinator of Newmap advised those living around the gully to vacate to avoid loss of life, noting that the gully can be recovered immediately work commences on the site, whereas any life lost due to the gully cannot be recovered.
He described the present administration as one that listens to the cry of the people, and expressed optimism that in no distant time intervention work will commence in the area.
Responding on behalf of the community, Chief Innocent Iheukwumere thanked the commissioner and his team for the visit and appealed for an urgent intervention on the gully site.
Meanwhile, government says it has captured and prioritized the Amaewu Amamba uzuakoli erosion site for rehabilitation under the Newmap project
The Commissioner for Environment Mr Philemon Ogbonna who disclosed this when he visited the site alongside the project coordinator, Abia State Newmap Dr Nkeiruka Chidia-Maduekwe, said the state Government is concerned about the gully, adding that government will go back with the engineers to see how interim measures could be applied.
Mr Ogbonna noted that the present administration, since assumption of office, has rehabilitated many gully erosion sites, stressing that the challenge in Amaewu Amamba is not new to the state Government, and blamed the gully on improper termination of drainages, and indiscriminate dumping of refuse at the site.
The Commissioner who also inspected the Dodds Methodist Church Uzuakoli erosion site said the site has also been captured and designed by the Newmap as a priority site for rehabilitation, noting that the Dr Alex Otti-led administration is a Government that gives priority to issues that affect the people.
Also Speaking, the President General Ohabike Amamba uzuakoli Mr Nelson Umezurike said the gully which started in 2019 has been a nightmare to the community, while the community has through community efforts spent millions of naira on the site to no avail.
He thanked the Commissioner and project Coordinator Newmap for the visit and expressed optimism that immediate action will be taken.
Speaking on behalf of the Elders of the community Chief Okorie Okeasu who acknowledged the developmental strides of the present administration saying the community has benefited in the areas of road construction and rehabilitation, electricity and renovations of schools and appealed for urgent action on the gully.
The Commissioner was accompanied on the inspection by a team of engineers from the Newmap and the Ministry of Environment.
