Erosion Menace in Ohafia: Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Uchendu Leads Abia NEWMAP Team to Ohafia.

Moved by the outcry of his people, the PDP Candidate for Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency and the Member representing Ohafia South Constituency, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Uchendu today led a team of inspectors from the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) Abia State to the Erosion Site at Amaekpu for an on the spot assessment.

According to Rt. Hon. Uchendu who also double as the Deputy Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, the move also follows his several motions at the floor of the house and his constant visit to the Erosion Control Agency which is yet to yield the desired results.

He pleaded with the Agency to as a matter of urgency step in to tackle the problems of erosion in Ohafia which according to him has sacked many Indigenes of Ohafia from their homes.

Responding at the erosion site behind Amaekpu Community Primary School, Amaekpu Ohafia, the Abia NEWMAP Technical team led by the Site Engineer, Engr. Kingsley observed that the new erosion site was indeed an active one that should be prioritized.

He assured that his team would do everything within its power to ensure that their report gets to the desk of the Abia NEWMAP Project Cordinator, Engr. Izuchukwu Inwughara by tomorrow for prompt action.

Engr. Kingsley informed the community that NEWMAP interventions usually takes time as the design of the erosion site itself takes up to 6 months to be prepared. According to him, the team will visit the erosion site from time to time to obtain samples of the soil within the 6 months period for a correct analysis after which the State Steering Committee and the State Technical Committee will meet to prioritize the erosion site.

He advised the community to on her part carry out parliative jobs on the erosion site pending when the agency will commence full work to avert further escalation. He also advised the community to visit & partner with the Flood & Erosion Dept of the Ministry of Environment which is parent body of NEWMAP to profer an emergency solution to the erosion menace.

Engr. Kingsley also informed that following the resolution of the Abia State House of Assembly through motions by the Deputy Speaker, the erosion site at Ebem Ohafia has been prioritized by the state, the one at Bakassi in Amaekpu designed and approved while the erosion site at Amuke Road in Elu Ohafia has been approved for civil work with the agency waiting for approval to commence work.

The Technical team of NEWMAP also visited other Erosion sites in the community with a promise to do the needful.

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Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) which is a World Bank assisted Project was created in an effort to mitigate adverse effects of soil and land degradation in targeted watershed for environmental sustainability in the Nigeria with Abia State as one of the 19 states being covered by the Agency.

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The Traditional Ruler of Amaekpu Ohafia, HRM Ezeogo Uduma Obuba Kalu, the Councillor Representing Isiama Ward, Hon. Udo Anaga Ibeh and his counterpart from Ohafor Ward, Hon. Anya Okorie, Youths from Amaekpu Ohafia Led by the President and other well meaning sons and daughters of the community were present during the visit of the NEWMAP Technical team.