Anambra State is arguably the erosion capital of Africa, if not the world. As of today, the state reportedly has over one thousand active erosion sites. The figure was around nine hundred and fifty as of April 2022 according to the state governor, Professor. Chukwuma Soludo.
Just a year later, the Commissioner for Environment, Engineer Felix Odimegwu, revealed that erosion sites in the state had hit one thousand based on his findings.
While lamenting that Anambra was losing arable land to gully erosion, the Environment Commissioner revealed that new erosion sites were still emerging in the state.
From 2022 to 2025, available reports show that more erosion sites have emerged in various parts of the state.
Currently, gully erosion is threatening critical infrastructure, including hospitals, farmland, family houses, electricity and other social facilities in some communities including Amanuke in Awka North Council Area.
In Nnewi South, many communities in that Council Area are currently battling with erosion issues. The same applies to parts of Nnewi town in Nnewi North Council Area.
Erosion sites in Agulu community, Anaocha LGA; Nanka and Oko communities in Orumba North LGA are still very much active.
In other parts of the state, there have been a series of reports about the devastating impacts of gully erosion.
The Environment Commissioner, Odimegwu, lamented during the NEWMAP’s workshop that over seventy per cent of the state’s land mass was reportedly at the risk of gully erosion.
Despite this sad condition of the state, some of its residents still engaged in unwholesome practices that promote the development of new gully erosion sites and the worsening of the already existing ones.
Across many communities, incessant excavation of the soil surface is still going on. There is also the indiscriminate disposal of wastes, as well as the deliberate blockage of water channels by unscrupulous individuals.
These negative actions undermine the efforts being made by the state government to check gully erosion and their devastating impacts in the state, as well as the remedial work already done by NEWMAP.
The state government under the firm leadership of Governor Soludo has spent and is still spending its scarce resources in efforts to reclaim lands devasted by the gully erosion.
There is, therefore, need for the people to join hands with the government to prevent further emergence of new erosion sites in the state. Indiscriminate excavation of the soil surface should stopped.
There is also a need for stringent laws and regulations to be made by the government, and where necessary amend the existing ones to protect the environment.
It is important that religious, traditional and social organizations, as well as influential individuals in the state should lend their voices and support to the efforts the state and federal governments are making to protect the environment and make it safe for everyone.
OBINNA ODOGWU
