Enugu State Commissioner for the Environment, Fidel Ayogu has said the gravity of erosion threatening Enugu-Ngwo community, near Enugu metropolis was enormous and appealed for Federal Government’s assistance.
Ayogu, who spoke to newsmen during the inspection of the site on Saturday, said it had become necessary as the menace was severely threatening 14 homes in the community.
“We are at the site on the instruction of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to take a comprehensive survey of the erosion site for urgent palliative intervention since the menace had been in existence prior to the inception of the present administration.
“The incident requires the intervention of the Federal Government through the ecological fund or other related interventions for adequate control and management.
“The huge amount of money required to tackle the problem is not within the resources of the state government.”
Ayogu sympathised with the people of the community on the ugly development and assured them that the government would do all that would be required to ensure that the problem was tackled “for safety of lives and property.”
Also speaking, Chairman of Enugu North Local Government Area, Isaac Igwe, said the enormity of the threat posed by erosion was not something local and state governments could handle alone.
“I am also joining to appeal to the Federal Government to come to the rescue of the people of the community,” Igwe said.
He lauded the prompt response of the governor in sending his commissioner and other top government functionaries to the site for proper evaluation of the menace.
On his part, the Chairman of Enugu-Ngwo community, Chief Chris Ejike-Agu, said the erosion started over 15 years ago and expressed confidence that Ugwuanyi would ameliorate the situation.
