Edo Communities Submerged in Erosion

IF there was a contest to determine which state suffers most from the menace of gully erosion, Edo would be among the top contenders. In Edo, Ewu Community in Edo Central Senatorial District, would also be a strong contender among towns and villages most devastated in the state. On Monday, a teacher and community leader, Mike Iyere, gloom written all over his face, told us his community stood the risk of being completely washed away.

 “Two persons died four days ago from high blood pressure, because their houses would go any moment from now. These old men have no means of building another house. They are common farmers. We can’t leave the village any more, we are cut off. We don’t know what will happen next.” He added that over 10 houses were under imminent threat of being washed away “anytime there is a substantially heavy rain.” 

 The gully erosion making life difficult for Iyere and his people in Ewu, is only one of more than 110 sites across Edo State, with the worst sites in Benin, the state capital found in Queen Ede area , Ewu, Iruekpen in Edo Central, Warrake and parts of Auchi in Edo North. What started in Auchi a few years ago as a minor erosion has today become a deep gully 100 metres deep in some areas and over 10 kilometres long.

 In Queen Ede area, Ogbesan quarters along Agbor Road is another big gully almost 100 metres deep , that has claimed several homes and businesses and swallowed the old Agbor road. The Catholic Church in the area has spent over N20 million just to keep its church standing. At least, N3 billion is needed to construct an underground channel to the nearest river two kilometres away.

 The topography of the area, which naturally channels rain water from Agbor Park, Depot and Aduwawa areas to the gully site has exacerbated the problem, which has not been helped by neglect by successive administrations. The people of Ibori, Ugbalo, Ewu-Eguare, Idogalo ,and Oludide communities in Esan Central on Monday pleaded with President Goodluck Jonathan to come to their rescue over the gully erosion that is threatening their lives. 

 Community leaders including Alhaji Gaz Momoh, the Daudu of Oludide Village, Asene Mike Iyere, head of Ibori and Mallam Mutaro Ibramai of Ewu told us no fewer than 23 people have died, swept away by the ravaging gully erosion that is gradually taking them into extinction. In Ibori-Uneah, eight persons have been k*lled, eight houses washed away and a part of the community cut off from Ugbalo and Uwessan.

 A former vice chairman, Esan Central Council, Victor Obozokhae said the traditional ruler’s palace in his Ewu community was all but cut off from the main town. “The palace is threatened and we are worried. It has taken a lot of our land, houses, and lives have been lost too. People have to go across the highway to access other parts of the community and this is dangerous for our people.” 

 Speaking on the problem, Edo State Commissioner for Environment, Clem Agba said the government was aware of about 110 active gully erosion sites in the state. “We have taken inventory of all of these sites, including Oshiobugie gully site , the biggest in the state. It used to be seven fingers, but a recent survey discovered that new fingers are beginning to develop.

 We are doing quite a number of studies including resettlement studies to have a plan to settle all those who live around these areas.” He said President Jonathan had approved the Nigeria Erosion Watershed Management programme, for five Eastern states , Cross River and Edo states, a World Bank-funded programme of $650 million, which is being delayed because the National Assembly has not been able to approve the national borrowing plan .

 If the borrowing plan is approved, we should be able to asses about $75 to $100 million to begin to do some real work to address the gully erosion problem. “It is clearly beyond the capability of the state government to handle.”

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