Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has called on residents and communities affected by erosion to take greater responsibility for environmental practices that may be worsening the menace across the state.
Soludo made the call while responding to persistent appeals from erosion-ravaged communities for government intervention.
The governor questioned the role of residents in contributing to environmental degradation, urging communities to examine their practices and take steps to prevent further deterioration.
“All these people crying out to the government that erosion has taken over their communities, what have they done as residents of those areas?” Soludo was quoted as saying.
He also questioned why some of the erosion problems were not present in the affected areas decades ago.
“There must be something the communities are doing wrong. Why wasn’t this erosion there 50 years ago?” he asked.
The governor’s remarks come amid growing concerns over severe erosion in several parts of Anambra State, where expanding gullies have affected roads, homes, farmlands and other critical infrastructure.
While acknowledging the need for government intervention, Soludo stressed that tackling the erosion crisis should not be left entirely to government.
Environmental practices such as poor drainage, indiscriminate dumping of refuse, uncontrolled construction and other human activities can worsen erosion and flooding, making community participation an important part of prevention efforts.
The governor’s position is expected to generate further discussions among residents of erosion-prone communities, many of whom have continued to demand urgent government intervention to protect homes, roads and other infrastructure.
Soludo’s message is that addressing Anambra’s erosion crisis requires a collective approach, with communities taking responsibility for environmental practices while government provides the necessary engineering solutions and large-scale intervention.
