BY CHIMA NWAFO
As journalists would say, it’s no news that South-eastern Nigeria is the worst victim of gully erosion. Both relevant agencies of government and findings by universities confirm that unenviable fact. But following developments and revelations when seismic tragedies occur in the erosion-prone region, one wonders what is being done by the governments to check further deterioration of the land in the catchment areas.
There is no doubt government knows that gully erosion is the removal of soil along drainage lines by surface water run-off and that once started, gullies will continue to move by head-ward erosion or by slumping of the side-walls, unless steps are taken to stabilise the disturbance. Government and its agenciesas well as research findings are also aware that gully erosion occurs when water is channelled across unprotected land and washes away the soil along the drainage lines. And there is no dispute as to the fact that under natural conditions, run-off is moderated by vegetation which generally holds the soil together, protecting it from excessive overflow and direct rainfall.
Interestingly, one of such government agencies is the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP), under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Environment (FME). From their website, “Our Mission is to address on a multi-dimensional scale the menace of gully erosion in the South-east as well as land degradation in the North. The Project Development Objective (PDO) of NEWMAP is to reduce vulnerability to soil erosion in targeted sub-catchment. The above bold print is by choice deliberate: to emphasise NEWMAP’s own words in its mission statement. “To address, on a multi-dimensional scale, the menace of gully erosion in the South-east…..and land degradation in the North.”
Next, the agency provides more information about its operation. “NEWMAP involves many Federal and State Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), local governments, communities, and civil society. Effective implementation requires inter-ministerial and inter-state coordination, collaboration, and information sharing. Each component, sub-component and activity will be implemented through relevant Federal and State MDAs. Most of NEWMAP’s investments will be made at the state level, as states have primary responsibility for land management and land allocations.
“The Federal Ministry of Environment (FME) is the lead implementing agency for NEWMAP. A Federal Project Management Unit (FPMU) headed by a Federal Coordinator hosted by FME is responsible for overall coordination. There is a State Project Management Unit in each participating state, headed by a State Coordinator and hosted by each state’s Ministry of Environment. The participating states must qualify to benefit from NEWMAP investment activities. All participating states will be eligible to participate in institutional capacity-building and technical assistance activities, as these will contribute to meeting qualification criteria to participate in investment activities.”
Given the foregoing elucidation, let’s recall the recent incident in the catchment area of Abia State as captured in the Sunday Sun of October 6: “Earth tremor rocks Abia communities.”
Thank God for an enlightened and articulate monarch, who did not hesitate to send out a Save our Souls message to Federal, State, local governments, specifically mentioning the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The royal fatherEze Uche Elekwa, Akukwu 1 of Isiaku-Alayi in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State said residents of Elugwu, Amato, Obuofia, and Obuchie, which are communities that make up Isiaku-Alayi, now live in fear and not knowing what might happen the next moment. He said what members of his community need most now is for the government to sink boreholes for them, as their streams have been polluted and inaccessible; and for experts to visit the community to ascertain whether they should relocate or not.
He pleaded with the government to assist the villagers in any way possible, because their cash crops, economic trees and plantations were damaged by the tremor, adding that they also need help to open up a new road to access their farmlands, “because hunger and starvation now stare at their faces.”
They made a direct and urgent appeal to the “National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, Federal Government and the Distinguished Senator representing Abia North Senatorial Zone/Chief Whip, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, whose own community is close to the crisis area to come to the rescue of the victims, especially in the area of sinking borehole.”
It is sad to note that as at the time of crafting this analysis, none of the above named officers and institutions have responded. Or, should we ask: Where are the officials of state and local governments of NEWMAP operations mentioned earlier, 10 days after the tragedy?
A study on Socio-Economic Impact of Gullies in Abia State, by the Department of Surveying and Geo-informatics, Faculty of Engineering, University of Lagos, provides more insight. “The issue of gully erosion is of major concern in the south-eastern part of Nigeria. This study adopts Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as a tool to identify and study gully erosion hazards in Abia state. 171 gully erosion sites were coordinated using GPS receivers and overlaid on the soil and geological maps of the study area. Spatial database for erosion sites was created using relational database model. Additional 35 gully erosion sites were identified from the processed digital elevation model (DEM) and ground verification carried out. Result shows that gully erosion sites were well dispersed around false bedded sand stone geological formation. The slope characteristic was ascertained to be greater than 15o which encourages gully erosion activities.”
The study noted that the effect of gully erosion in this region is tremendous. “Major impacts of gully erosion include displacemereant of large population of people.” For example, in Isiukwuato Local Government Area, “entire communities in Amaokwe; Abia State University, Uturu; Ogudasa, Oruruala were completely displaced due to the expansion of gully sites. The Amuzukwu community in Umuahia North suffered the same fate. The road that links Abiribia and Ohafia communities is badly affected.”
The destruction of road infrastructure, according to the study, does not exclude major Federal Highways in the area as erosion has virtually destroyed many portions or completely cut off places such as Enugu – Port Harcourt Expressway from the Isiukwato zone down to Umuahia – Aba segment. This affects Ugba-Mbalano Road in Isuikwato, Umuahia North – Ntigha in Isiala Ngwa North and Ugba-Nkata in Isiala Ngwa South.
Besides, “gully erosion has brought tears to many homes in Abia State as cracking and destruction of houses, collapsing of buildings into gully sites and washing away of farm lands are common features in the erosion-prone areas. People have lost their life investments to gullies.”
At a time the Federal Government seems determined to set up what it calls Ruga Settlement nationwide, to create a cattle community for the Fulani herdsmen. From the body language of the presidency and hard stance of the benefiting MIYETI Allah, it is like a fait accompli, take it or leave it. But, should it be so in a civil regime?
However, much as both political leaders and youth organizations are currently barking their opposition to the policy in the South. Yet, the herdsmen are rampaging farm lands and even educational institutions without hindrance. Neither has any been penalised or prosecuted since 2016, despite the global outcry against their massive destruction of life and property in the Middle Belt, southern states as well as banditry in the North-west. Besides, to what extent can unarmed youths and poor villagers resist AK-47-wielding herdsmen who are also backed by state security agents? Men of conscience are sincerely worried.
This is because experts, including relevant government agencies, are not ignorant of the fact that excessive grazing is one of the factors that exacerbate the demon of gully erosion. An environmental enthusiast once stated: “Excessive clearing, inappropriate land use and compaction of the soil caused by grazing often means the soil is left exposed and unable to absorb excess water. Surface run-off then increases and concentrates in drainage lines, allowing gully erosion to develop in susceptible areas” (like the South-east).
Given the foregoing backdrop, it is important to note that some states in the North are receiving extra money from the Federal Allocation for “Land mass.” By the same convoluted logic, South-east states are penalized for inadequate land mass, which often goes with “population”, hence their revenue receipts are usually at the bottom level. If there is an iota of justice in the policy-making machinery of the Federal Government, someone ought to have seen the demand for grazing land from the South-eastern states as unfair, oppressive and provocative. It is a case of giving a dog bad name in order to hang it. The Federal Government knows that all the land required for Ruga are available in the North.
*Nwafo, Environmental Analyst, can be reached on: [email protected];+234802 9334754.
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