Senator Victor Umeh, the representative for the Anambra Central Senatorial District, has urged the Nigerian federal government to declare his constituency an ecological disaster zone following severe erosion and flooding that have devastated parts of the region. The call for emergency intervention was made after torrential rainfall caused significant destruction in Awka, the capital of Anambra State, resulting in the drowning of a six-year-old schoolboy and the collapse of several residential structures into erosion gullies.
During a weekend visit to the affected areas, Senator Umeh inspected the sites of devastation in Awka, as well as the homes of the victims. He noted that the crisis is not isolated to the state capital, recalling recent visits to Obosi and Ogidi in the Idemili area where similar flood and erosion damage had been observed. The senator emphasized that all local government areas within his senatorial district are currently experiencing widespread environmental degradation.
“I feel sad that Anambra Central Senatorial District is under serious erosion menace and flooding... This time, it is Awka, the capital of Anambra State. It is sad that all the local governments in my senatorial district are experiencing flood and erosion devastation,” Umeh stated.
Addressing the immediate threat posed by the ongoing rainfall, Umeh warned that buildings in the vicinity remain at risk of further collapse. He argued that remedial efforts by residents are no longer sufficient to halt the continuous spread of the erosion gullies. Consequently, he requested that the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation treat the situation as an emergency, which would be facilitated by an official ecological disaster declaration.
The senator also informed the public that a motion concerning the Idemili North and South axis is already pending before the Senate. He stated that upon his return, he intends to update this motion to include the recent developments in Awka, thereby highlighting the urgent need for federal government intervention to address the environmental crisis in his district.
Among those affected is AIG Celestine Okoye, a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, who appealed for assistance, stating that residents now live in fear due to the instability of their surroundings. Senator Umeh also paid tribute to Mr. and Mrs. Ezenwafor, who lost their six-year-old child in a flood disaster on Tuesday, offering his condolences to the grieving couple.
<small>Source: Daily Post Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
