Gully Erosion Hits Nkpor Community; Sacks Schools, Residential Buildings

From Mokwugwo Solomon, Awka

No fewer than 2 nursery and primary schools, as well as over 1,500 residents of Adegbe-Akuzor, Nkpor Agu, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, have been sacked by fresh gully erosion that hit the area.

The affected schools include Diamond Nursery/Primary School, as well as Achievers Corner Nursery/Primary School. Also affected are 13 residential buildings supposedly occupied by over 1,500 people.

Proprietor of the Achievers Corner Nursery/Primary School, Mr. Okwudili Ekpe, told our reporter that the gully, which he said, hit the area recently, destroyed his school building; making it very difficult for the pupils to resume classes.

He said, "I woke up recently to be confronted with the news of my school being destroyed by a gully that developed at Park-Off Lane, Akuzor-Nkpor Agu, Idemili North Local Government Area.

"The erosion put the school building in a state of disrepair; making it impossible for our pupils to resume classes. If not that the incident occured in a period that the pupils were not in classes, we would be mourning over 700 children in my school.

"We call on the Anambra State government, as well as relevant ecological agencies to come to the help of residents of this area; because, the devastation is already beyond the muscle of landlords and ordinary citizens living in this area."

A resident of the area, Mrs Nkechi Ozoforkansi, also told our reporter that her family now take shelter in another area because of the level of devastation caused by the erosion.

According to her, "The erosion is massive, and devastating. It pulled down many buildings, and destroyed some plots of land. Many buildings, about 13 of them, occupied by over 1,500 people were affected. Two primary schools were also affected.

"On my own part, I and my family members are presently taking refuge in a friend's residence because, my family house has been pulled into the gully. We were lucky that none of my family members died in the gully."

Also, Dr. Jerry Nwachukwu, the Senior Pastor of the Bible Base Miracle Assembly, a pentecostal church located along Ezendu Street, off Mercedes Avenue, Nkpor Agu, Idemili North Local Government Area of the state, also bemoan the development, calling on the Anambra State and federal governments to assist the affected people and schools.