Erosion: Anambra to go after houses without proper drainage

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By Madu Obi

Worried by the increasing menace of gully erosion in Anambra State, government has threatened to force residents to build proper channels for water coming out of their homes.

The state Executive Council, ANSEC, which announced the proposed enforcement, lamented that erosion has continued to be an existential issue in Anambra State, citing the careless actions of communities and regulatory bodies that have disregarded environmental regulations.

The state Commissioner for Information, Dr Law Mefor said after the weekly executive council meeting that it has been observed that some residents direct storm water from their homes onto the roads, where it accumulates in different ways and contributes to the erosion crisis currently affecting Anambra State.

"ANSEC decided to step up enforcement to force people to build and manage storm waters from their houses and for communities to follow specific guidelines, like building erosion barriers and excavating sand only in locations that have been allowed", Mefor said.

The Commissioner stated that government is also to set up a committee to recover government lands across the state, adding that the committee became necessary after hearing a report about people blatantly intruding on government lands and building on them without permission.

Meanwhile, ANSEC has approved the release of funds for the execution of several projects in various parts of the state.

Details showed that N95,2 million was released for the provision of water to the newly constructed Ekwulobia flyover bridge fountain and the ornamental garden, while N172 million was approved for landscaping the car park for the new Trauma Centre at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Amaku, Awka.

Other contracts awarded include N93,4 million for the installation of a 3-way traffic light, including pedestrian lights, at the Ifite-Amenyi intersection within Awka metropolis, N50,4 million for the supply and installation of two 10 kVA inverters with 15 kW lithium batteries at the Anambra State Civil Service Commission building in Awka and N119,1 million for the supply and installation of transformer substations in Nnewi and Umueze-Anam communities.