Umuahia, Abia State |July 24, 2025 –
The Chief Whip of the Abia State House of Assembly and member representing Umuahia South State Constituency, Hon. Emeka Obioma, has raised alarm over a devastating gully erosion threatening lives, properties, and infrastructure in the Avonkwu community, Olokoro.
The lawmaker made the passionate appeal during Tuesday’s plenary session, calling for swift government intervention to avert what he described as a looming environmental disaster.
Speaking under matters of urgent public importance, Hon. Obioma revealed that he had received a formal letter of appeal from the Avonkwu community leadership, seeking immediate help from the government. He disclosed that the gully erosion had intensified over the past weeks due to persistent rainfall, posing an imminent risk to residential buildings, farmlands, and community roads.
Reading from the letter submitted by the Avonkwu residents, Obioma painted a grim picture of the situation, noting that the expanding gully was fast encroaching on people’s homes and threatening to displace families.
“The people of Avonkwu are living in fear. Every heavy rain accelerates the destruction. The roads are caving in, homes are hanging on the edge, and farms, the source of livelihood for many, are being swallowed,” he said.
Hon. Emeka Obioma emphasized the urgency of deploying technical and financial resources to control the erosion.
“This is not a situation we can afford to treat lightly. I call on the Ministry of Environment and the State Emergency Management Agency to immediately conduct a site assessment and initiate emergency control measures. We must not wait for lives to be lost before we act,” he urged.
He further warned that continued inaction would result in irreversible damage to the socio-economic fabric of the community.
“We are looking at a potentially catastrophic collapse of an entire section of this community if nothing is done. The state government has a duty to protect its citizens from such disasters,” Obioma added.
The House acknowledged the submission and assured that steps would be taken to engage the appropriate ministries and agencies for a coordinated response.
Community leaders and residents of Avonkwu have since expressed gratitude to Hon. Obioma for bringing their plight to the forefront of legislative discourse, hoping that the government’s response will be swift and decisive.
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