Gully Erosion Threatens 20 Buildings In Anambra Community

An estimated 20 buildings may collapse before August in Oba Community, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, due to the devastating impact of gully erosion, which has already swallowed an entire house.

The growing environmental disaster has been linked to substandard work by a construction company handling a section of the Onitsha-Owerri highway. The project allegedly diverted floodwater into village drainage systems, eventually eroding the land and creating a massive gully now posing a serious threat to lives and property.

The worst-hit area is Vision World Estate, located at Uruokokwu Umuogali, where residents say one building has already collapsed, prompting fears that at least 20 more could be consumed by the expanding erosion site before the next major rainfall.

In a letter addressed to Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, through the Council Mayor, Mrs Iyom Amaka Obi, and signed by the estate’s Chairman, Mr. Joseph Mbanaso, and Secretary, Mr. Jude Obowo, the residents made a passionate appeal for urgent government intervention. The letter, titled “Re: Protracted flooding, erosion, threat to lives and properties worth billions of naira at Uruokokwu Umuogali Oba, Anambra State, A passionate appeal for emergency government intervention,” was made available to newsmen.

“We, the residents of Vision World Estate, Uruokokwu Umuogali Oba, wish to draw Your Excellency’s attention to the pitiable condition we now reside under since your last intervention,” the letter stated. “Some weeks ago, a house was washed away by the erosion and expanding gully, but by divine grace, no life was lost.”

The residents painted a grim picture of the potential disaster looming over the estate, warning that any severe downpour could result in multiple building collapses.

“The ever-growing erosion and attendant expanding gully, if left unchecked, threatens existential lives and properties, with over 20 houses standing to be consumed,” the letter continued.

While appreciating Governor Soludo’s earlier visit and the remedial efforts he promised, the residents expressed dismay at the quality of work carried out by the contractor.

“The shoddy job done by the contractor, who used substandard materials and demonstrated a lack of technical know-how, has since been washed away. Over ₦50 million has been spent by residents over the years to arrest the situation, yet the problem persists.”

They pleaded with the governor to extend his administration’s “Soludo Solution” to their community, expressing confidence in his capacity to intervene effectively.

Mr. Mbanaso, Chairman of the Estate, reiterated the appeal in a separate interview, saying, “The Soludo-led government is our only hope. We’ve tried all we can within our capacity to stop this erosion, but to no avail. Many of us now sleep with one eye open, waiting for our perimeter fences to give way.”

Another resident, Mrs. Gloria Okafor, traced the origin of the erosion to the highway project.

“They excavated the soil and created a valley to channel flood into it. When the mini gutter they constructed collapsed, water began washing away the porous soil, triggering the gully. The situation has worsened ever since,” she explained.

The residents now wait anxiously for a swift response from the state government before the impending disaster strikes.