About 45 families and 12 buildings in Ifite Awka, the Anambra State capital, are endangered by a severe erosion menace threatening lives and property in the area.
At John Elu-Ogu Crescent, beside Meloch Hotel and near Glorious Bethel Life Assembly in Ifite Awka, a deep gully erosion site has already displaced several residents and is currently threatening more than 45 families and 12 buildings within the community.
Investigations revealed that the erosion disaster is largely caused by poor implementation of Awka’s urban master plan and the failure of the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA) to strictly enforce town planning regulations over the years.
During the administration of former Governor Peter Obi, a UN-Habitat Awka master plan was developed. However, findings suggest that the plan was either poorly implemented or completely abandoned.
The present administration of Governor Charles Soludo, upon assuming office, promised to transform Awka into a befitting modern state capital.
However, observers believe that the dream of turning Awka into a smart and modern city may remain unattainable if the persistent distortion of urban planning regulations, indiscriminate building approvals, and reckless construction activities across the city are not urgently addressed.
Investigations revealed that John Elu-Ogu Crescent in Ifite Awka showed extensive environmental degradation and clear evidence that much work remains to be done by ACTDA and the Ministry of Physical Planning to reclaim Awka as a properly planned capital city.
It was discovered that 45 families and more than 12 buildings are on the verge of being submerged by advancing erosion. Children living around the affected buildings are also exposed to grave danger due to the expanding gully.
The sight of the endangered buildings and surrounding environment evoked tension, fear, and emotional distress among residents, especially as children move around the erosion site.
A resident, Mr. Okechukwu Okolie, lamented that every rainfall puts residents at risk as the erosion continues to eat deep into the area and threaten buildings without any government intervention.
According to him, many of the buildings in the area were erected on unsuitable locations, including drainage paths and natural water channels, raising serious questions about how building approvals were granted by ACTDA and the Anambra State Ministry of Physical Planning.
“The major problem here is failed town planning. There was no proper arrangement for water collection and drainage during the rainy season. Every available space has now been converted into buildings, leaving no channel for water to flow freely,” he said.
Okolie stressed that water would always find its natural path regardless of human obstruction and appealed to the state government and ACTDA to urgently intervene by reopening blocked drainage channels and waterways obstructed by high-rise buildings in the area.
According to him, the heavy rainfall last Sunday worsened the situation and exposed residents to imminent danger.
“If government does not urgently intervene, many families may be displaced and lives could even be lost,” he warned.
An Anambra State-based architect, who spoke anonymously with our correspondent, disclosed that the UN-Habitat Awka master plan initiated during Peter Obi’s administration was designed to restore order to the capital city.
According to him, the plan was introduced toward the end of Obi’s tenure, but it remains unclear whether it was ever implemented or abandoned on government shelves.
“If the master plan is properly implemented, Awka can regain its status as a modern and organized state capital,” he said.
The architect urged the Ministry of Physical Planning and ACTDA to rise to their responsibilities and restore sanity to urban development in the capital city.
He further noted that many buildings across Awka and other parts of Anambra State do not meet standard town planning regulations.
“Awka and Anambra State cannot truly become the Light of the Nation through indiscriminate construction on waterways, roads, and other prohibited areas. People now build on roads and drainage channels, while enforcement authorities look away. Under such conditions, we cannot achieve the smart city we dream about,” he added.
Also speaking a 68-year-old provision trader, Mrs. Felicia Okechukwu, whose shop and residence have been affected by the erosion, described the situation as devastating. According to her, the provision shop was the only source of livelihood for herself and her 77-year-old husband.
“This place you are seeing used to be a road where vehicles and people passed freely. Residents from this area came here to buy provisions from me, and that was how we survived,”
“My husband used to be a bus driver, but when tricycles (Keke) became popular, the bus transport business collapsed for him. Since then, we have depended on this shop for survival. Now the shop has been destroyed by erosion.”she said emotionally.
She appealed passionately to the government to rescue affected residents, stressing that many families currently have nowhere else to relocate to due to the prevailing economic hardship.
“We are pleading with the government to come to our rescue because we have nowhere to go. Government should help us in this dangerous situation,” she cried.
Mrs. Okechukwu explained that the area was once a lively student hostel environment associated with Nnamdi Azikiwe University, but has now become unsafe due to unchecked erosion.
According to her, several high-rise buildings constructed within the low plain of the area blocked the natural flow of stormwater, thereby worsening the flooding and erosion problem.
Another affected resident, Mrs. Uche Nwaogbo, said the erosion had existed for years but became significantly worse after last Sunday’s heavy rainfall.
“The rain caused the worst destruction we have seen here. We are afraid that another heavy rainfall may completely wash away our homes,” she lamented.
Speaking on the danger faced by children constantly moving around the erosion site, she said residents had become accustomed to living under fear.
“We pray every day that none of the children will fall into the deep gully. There are many children living in these compounds and area. In our own building alone, there are about 17 rooms occupied by families with children,” she explained.
When asked whether government authorities had been informed, she stated that several people had visited the area to record videos, but no government official had officially contacted residents or promised assistance.
She appealed emotionally for urgent intervention, noting that many homes and buildings are gradually collapsing into the erosion site.
A young resident, who declined to mention his name, also blamed the worsening erosion on poor drainage infrastructure and failed urban planning.
According to him, the entire area depends on a single drainage channel to evacuate stormwater, causing excessive pressure that eventually leads to erosion.
“Look at this place,” he said while pointing at the damaged road. “The last rainfall completely cut off the main road, forcing residents to pass through the Meloch axis to access their homes.
Government must take decisive action to correct years of poor planning and ACTDA’s failure to enforce building regulations.”
When contacted, the Managing Director of ACTDA, Dr. Ossy Onuko, assured residents that the agency, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, is already working to address the problem.
According to him, the government is taking steps to reclaim affected areas and control the erosion menace in the area .
“We are already working with the Ministry of Environment and the agency responsible for erosion control. Although the Ecological Fund is no longer available, the state government is doing its best to manage and control the situation with available resources,” he said.
Dr. Onuko further stated that the government is prepared to demolish buildings illegally erected on waterways and drainage channels if necessary.
“Anything we can do to control the erosion, including pulling down buildings constructed on wrong locations, we will do it.
However, where demolition becomes necessary, there must also be considerations for alternative arrangements because some of these buildings were inherited and have existed for many years.
“Myself and the Commissioner for Environment had a detailed virtual meeting on the matter last night, and we are already working on the solutions,” he added.
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