Ubahu village is populated by 5,500 people.
The landsilde is reported to gulp an estimated size of two standard football field [250yards x 250yards] of land. The landslide did not gulp homes but it destroyed farmlands – with various types of cash crops. This is according to firsthand account recorded by 247ureports.com.
The latest landslide has re-ignited fear among the community members inside Ubahu village – who point to the renewed propensity for the gully to erupt as a sign of more massive landslides on the way – in the near future. The Udongwu gully erosion crater was said to have been stabilized following efforts by previous administrations both pre-colonial and post.
The gully erosion area [-refered to as Agu Cashew] was reserved by the pre-colonial masters who applied afforestation as the chief mechanism to halt the activity of the gully. Cashew tree plantation was planted through out the reserved area – and construction work was held at a minimum. This was dating back from the late 1930’s.
But the post civilian war era changed the dictate at the reserved area. Deforestation began at an alarming rate – as community members began felling trees and erecting concrete structure instead – without proper environmental impact assessment to the gully erosion.
In the mid 1980’s the gully erupted owing to the bad practices. In response, the Shagari/Ekwueme administration acted to put in place broad storm water management system that included network of gutters, box culverts and mini-catchment pits. The effort appeared to halt the continued activity of the gully.
Until recently when the push towards deforestation continued around the gully erosion, the activity of the gully was considered checked. The sighting and erection of a Sports Stadium [Neros Sports Stadium] at the edge of the gully erosion – perturbed the already agitated gully site. With the commissioning of the sports stadium earlier in the year [Iune 2012], the gully regained its propensity to erupt. Presently, the cashew trees at the Agu Cashew are being cut down to make way for new structures to support the sport stadium.
According to eyewitness account, the gully has – of recent days – experienced series of mini lanslides on a daily basis. They fear that the mini-landslides are symptom of a larger landslide.
The Udongwu Gully erosion site was among four gully erosion site predicated by a non governmental organization [Rural Community Development Outreach] as gully erosions of concern. The predication was made in 2007 and submitted to the Anambra State government in August of 2007. The four gullies mentioned include Isiakpuanu/Amakor Erosion, Agbana Enugu Erosion, Obu-Agu Ubahu Erosion and Udongwu Ubahu Erosion. Strikingly, three out of the four gullies erupted as predicated. Amakor erosion gully erupted in 2008, Obu-Agu Ubahu erosion erupted in 2010, and last month Udongwu Ubahu Erosion erputed. Both Obu-Agu and Udongwu are reported to be eruptingg daily in mini-landslides since it first erupted.
Udongwu gully erosion is an old formation that has had a history of destructive landslide – where over 150 homes were recorded to have bben lost over time. It is one of the biggest gully erosions in Anambra State – sitting about 1000ft deep and about 3000ft wide and about 40,000ft [linearized] long. It stretches from the border of Nanka/Agulu, touching on the Nanka/Awgbu border and ending at the Ubahu/Enugu village border – and serves as source of water for nearby villagers. Within 300-400ft perpendicular away from the length of the erosion that run along the outlines of village – are located homes, schools, churches, shrines and other structures. A cursory count of the homes within the 300ft radius number 256 as at November 2012. The homes of Nze Peter O. Ezeagwu, Mr. Micheal Chinedu, Mr. Felix Chinedu and others are presently endangered by the new charge of landslide.
The Federal government in collaboration with the World Bank is presently performing remediative work at the Amakor Erosion.
The Peter Obi administration also have put their best foot forward. On June 5, 2012, the Anambra State government launched a statewide ground breaking tree planting campaign in Nnewi, Anambra State in collaboration with Rural Community Development Outreach – and assistance from the Nnewi North LGA. The exercise launched the start of over 1million trees.
The project is ongoing.
A call was placed to the town union president general, Mazi Damain Okoye. He was in Lagos at the time of the call. He stated that he was not aware of the landslide. But the public relations officer of the town union, Sam Okeke [who is from Ubahu village] told 247ureports.com that the villagers are unsettled over the renewed landslides.
–
0813 669 7979
