Delta State Moves To Combat Gully Erosion

The Delta Government says steps are being taken to combat the Igwogwo gully erosion menace in Amachai-Okpanam in Oshimili North Local Government Area of the state.

The Commissioner for Works, Rural and Riverine Roads, Mr Charles Aniagwu, who visited the area on  Sunday, said he was at the site on the directive of Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori.

He assured the people of the area of government’s readiness to combat the gully erosion ravaging the community.

“We are here with our engineers from the Ministry of Works to assess the situation and see how we can come in to address the problem.

“You have seen the level of devastation, and if it’s not checked, a number of houses will go down,” he said.
He said the team would promptly brief the governor on the development while urging the residents to be patient with the government to solve the challenge facing them.

The Chairman of  Amachai Landlords Association, Chukwunenye Okonkwo, thanked the governor for the swift response.

He also appealed to the state government to give urgent attention to the erosion challenge, stressing that many buildings were already at risk of collapse.

In an interview, Mr. Patrick Ikechukwu, a resident of Ogbe-Ozoma Newlayout, in Okpanam, lauded the state government for its commitment to tackling the gully erosion menthe area.

Tackling gully erosion at the Amachai area separately without addressing that of Ogeb-Ozoma Community may not endure as the menace flows down from the Ogbe-Ozoma end down to Amachai area.

Ikechukwu also appealed to the state government to consider working on the two communities to reach an enduring and effective control of the erosion challenge in the area.

In August, residents of the community appealed to the state government to urgently save them from a ”yawning” gully erosion.Reports said

The residents said they were living at the mercy of the about 200m gully, which widened more each time it rained, noting that their properties were on the verge of caving in.

NAN/Shakirat Sadiq