Anambra State House of Assembly Committee on Works and Infrastructure has called on the contractor handling Ekwuloba–Uga dual carriage road project to urgently provide a lasting solution to the gully erosion menace at the premises of Aguata High School, Ekwuloba.
The Committee made the call during an oversight visit to the erosion site located between Ekwuloba and Oko communities in Aguata Local Government Area.
The Chairman House Committee on Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Emma Nwafor, said the Committee was on site to assess the major discharge points along the Ekwuloba–Uga section of the dual carriage road and described the terminal point of the discharge as devastating, noting that the volume of water had already caused cracks and environmental damage in the area.
Also Speaking, the lawmaker representing Aguata One Constituency, Dr. Tony Muobike, explained that the gully erosion, which had remained inactive for several years, was reactivated by heavy water discharge from the ongoing road construction.
He noted that the community alerted him to the development and expressed concern that about 1.4 kilometres of discharge had been directed into the inactive gully, causing rapid expansion of the erosion site.
Hon. Muobike who warned that the situation could worsen during the rainy season if urgent measures are not taken, stressed that the temporary relief experienced so far was due to the dry season during which the project was executed while observing that Anambra State remains one of the most erosion-prone states in the country, emphasizing the need to prevent funds meant for development projects from being diverted to erosion control as a result of poor planning.
In response, the Project Manager, Engr. Ken Omomufo, explained that the company has written to the Ministry of Works and that consultations are ongoing on how to resolve the problem, noting that the situation is technically challenging due to the absence of a nearby river to channel the discharge.
