Soludo brands Anambra as Nigeria’s erosion capital, solicits intervention

The Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, said on Wednesday about 40 percent of the state landmass was threatened by erosion.

Soludo, who disclosed this to State House Correspondents after a meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, described Anambra as the erosion capital of the country.

He called for urgent support from the Federal Government and other developmental partners in a bid to address the problem.

The governor said: “The environment is our number one existential threat, other than security, and Anambra is the erosion capital of Nigeria.

“Perhaps, you might know that about 30 percent to 40 percent of our land is under threat of erosion, there’s no other state like Anambra when it comes to erosion. Even last week somewhere between Ezinhifite/Osumenyin Road was cut off again and several huge gullies everywhere; Obosi, Oko, Nanka, Aguolo, everywhere, there’s erosion menace.

READ ALSO: Gov Soludo bans movement of cattle on foot in Anambra

“As I said, while our landmass is shrinking massively due to erosion and so on, it’s far beyond the capacity of a state government to deal with. Even if you were to sink the entire budget of the state for the next ten years into dealing with the gully erosion in the state, it will still be like a drop in the ocean.

“It is a state of emergency, with regards to erosion. And of course, we’re also promoting this concept of responsible citizenship on the part of our people, to be able to take some responsible steps.

“We are providing some regulations; people controlling the runoff water from their homes, they don’t just pipe them and get them off on the streets. Of course, they must go somewhere, contain it within your place. Building controls; will designate drain versus buildable areas, and so on and so forth.”

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