Intersociety raises alarm over Anambra gully erosion
Calls for closure of illegal sand mining sites
By Jeff Agbodo
AWKA — The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, Intersociety, has raised the alarm over what it described as devastating gully erosion at Ugo Community in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The group, in a petition to Governor Chukwuma Soludo, copied to security agencies, the town union leadership and the traditional ruler of the community, said the erosion menace had claimed no fewer than 10 lives in the past decade through submerged homes and other incidents.
Chairman of Intersociety, Emeka Umeagbalasi, said in the petition that the gully erosion was threatening the lives and homes of thousands of residents and was dangerously approaching the recently completed Obizi-Uga Water Scheme Road and adjoining roads.
He alleged that the reported deaths were linked to submerged properties, building collapses and disputes over ownership of the sand excavation site, among other incidents.
Umeagbalasi urged the state government to urgently intervene, conduct a comprehensive assessment of the affected area and implement measures to prevent further destruction.
He estimated that about 22,000 indigenes and residents, including people living in the community, pastoralists and those in the diaspora, could be affected if the erosion continued unchecked.
According to him, recent findings by the group indicated that private individuals had, over the years, carried out indiscriminate and unregulated sand excavation at the site, allegedly with the involvement of youth groups and persons linked to government.
He said the activities had resulted in environmental degradation and altered the natural topography of the area.
Umeagbalasi said leaders and stakeholders in Umudimisii Quarter had repeatedly resisted the excavation activities, which eventually became an issue during the election of new leaders of the Umudimisii Development Union.
He said the quarter subsequently resolved to stop further sand excavation at the site in order to reclaim the area and prevent further erosion.
According to him, the resolution was communicated to the Traditional Ruler of Uga, HRH Igwe Chidi S. Ezenwugo; the President-General of the Uga Improvement Union; and the Chairman of the Umuoru-Uga Village Union, after which the excavation activities were stopped.
Intersociety also alleged that the sand excavation activities had been carried out by a cartel of private individuals allegedly working with some government appointees, adding that it had found no official inventories indicating that proceeds from the activities accrued to past or present Anambra State governments.
The group further raised concerns over the impact of heavy-duty trucks transporting sand and stones from the site on roads in the area.
It said the movement of the trucks was damaging the Nkwo-Obizi Road and St James-Ugwunwocha-Obizi Road, which were recently completed by the Soludo administration.
“The newly constructed road network is also inches away from the emerging gullies,” Umeagbalasi said, adding that the movement of heavy trucks had also frustrated efforts by some residents to repair community roads.
Intersociety called on the state government to uphold the community’s resolution to shut down and discontinue what it described as environmentally dangerous sand excavation activities at the site.
It also urged the government to conduct an on-the-spot assessment of the area and carry out a thorough investigation into the activities of private individuals, alleged cartels and any government agents found to be involved.
The group called for the prosecution of anyone found culpable of engaging in unlawful activities outside the requirements of Community Development Agreements and Environmental Impact Assessments.
It also warned that failure to address the situation could create conditions for youth militancy, banditry and communal conflicts linked to control of solid mineral resources.
Umeagbalasi urged the government to act urgently to prevent further environmental degradation and protect lives, homes and infrastructure in the affected community.
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