Gully Erosion: Senate Demands Action From NEMA, Ecological Fund

Senate has called on the National Emergency Management (NEMA) and the Ecological Fund Office to implement a resettlement plan for communities facing serious gully erosion and flood

The Senate also expressed concern over the continuous loss of life and property occasioned by gullies and floodwaters and charged the agencies responsible to implement a community-resettlement plan to relocate residents from high-risk areas.

The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Senator Osita Izunaso (APC, Imo West).

The motion was  titled: “Urgent need to carry out remedial work on Obodoukwu, Urualla, Akokwa, Umumaisiaku, Umuchima and Umueshi Gully Erosion sites in Ideato North and Ideato South LGAs of Imo State.”

Izunaso said gullies and floodwaters have become treacherous, leading to loss of human lives, property worth over N4 billion naira and inflicted severe injuries.

He said 12 communities in Ideato North and Ideato South LGAs of Imo State were affected by gullies and floodwaters, which he said were beyond the powers of the Imo State government.

He, therefore, called on the federal government to urgently undertake remedial work to mitigate the risks and prevent further loss of lives, property and environmental degradation in the affected areas.

The Senate, accordingly, urged the Ecological Fund Office (EFO) and NEMA to jointly engage relevant experts to implement measures, such as slope stabilisation, gabion installations, terracing, re-vegetation, and construction of retaining walls to prevent further losses and minimize the risks to nearby infrastructure, communities, LGAs and states.