The Anambra State Government has called on the global community to intervene in the loss of arable land to gully erosion menace in the state.
The state Commissioner for Environment, Dr Felix Odimegwu, made the call while unfolding the state programme for the 2023 World Earth Day (WED) celebration in Awka, the state capital, on Thursday
Odimegwu lamented that the withdrawal of the World Bank-supported Nigeria Erosion Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP), which had finished its ten-year mandate in the state, had hampered efforts to control erosion in the state.
About eight of the 13 locations on which NEWMAP worked have been completed, with the remaining sites being in various states of completion.
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In his words, “Like you all know, Anambra is the erosion capital of Africa, the challenge is humongous that the state finances cannot carry it, we are talking about 1,000 active erosion sites with new ones still emerging.
“NEWMAP has exited the state, the project barely scratched the surface of the problem with just 13 sites and about seven completely delivered, the challenge is still very much here with us.
“So we are calling for global solidarity and partnership, international funding agencies, including the European Investment Bank, to assist Anambra to save its environment.
“On our part, the government of Anambra has awarded contracts for control works in some sites, including the popular Ekwueme Square gully erosion site in Awka, all within the limits of available resources.”
Story was adapted from Enviro News
