Senator Umeh Seeks FG, Senate Intervention as Flooding, Gully Erosion Ravage Anambra Communities

Senator Umeh Seeks FG, Senate Intervention as Flooding, Gully Erosion Ravage Anambra Communities

Calls for Ecological Fund Intervention, Urges Works Ministry, Anambra Government to Provide Lasting Solutions

By Raphael Ekpang
Abuja (Core Reporters) — Senator Victor Umeh, representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, at the 10th Senate has called on the Federal Government, the Senate and the Anambra State Government to urgently intervene in the devastating flooding and gully erosion ravaging communities across the state.
Umeh made the call on Wednesday, Octoner 14, 2026, while moving a motion titled “Urgent Intervention on the Devastating Flood and Erosion Menace in Ogidi, Obosi and Awka Communities in Anambra Central Senatorial District of Anambra State” on the Senate floor.
He said the devastating floods and gully erosion experienced between July and September had destroyed buildings, displaced families, damaged livelihoods and claimed lives, warning that the situation could worsen without immediate and coordinated intervention.

The senator called for urgent federal intervention through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), particularly the Ecological Fund Office, to address the extensive erosion sites and flooding threatening lives and property in the affected communities.
He identified Awka, the state capital, as well as Ogidi, Obosi and communities in Idemili North and Idemili South Local Government Areas as among the worst-affected areas.
According to him, some erosion gullies have reached depths of about 60 metres, with several buildings collapsing into them and families forced to abandon their homes.
Umeh described the human cost of the disaster as particularly distressing, citing the deaths of a pregnant woman and her unborn baby during flooding in the Ogidi axis.
He also recounted the death of a six-year-old pupil of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Primary School in Awka, who was swept away by floodwaters in late September. The child’s body was reportedly recovered the following day.
The senator said the incidents underscored the urgent need for governments at all levels to move beyond expressions of concern and implement practical measures to protect vulnerable communities.
He identified the flooding along the Onitsha–Ogidi–Awka Federal Road as a major concern, explaining that accumulated water had formed what residents now describe as Ogidi Lake, leaving part of the road virtually impassable.
According to him, motorists are forced to divert around the flooded section to continue their journeys, while the water surges into surrounding residential buildings.
He, therefore, urged the Federal Ministry of Works to undertake urgent engineering interventions on the road, including the provision of adequate drainage infrastructure to control stormwater and prevent further flooding.

Umeh also recounted how floodwaters had surged into the palace of the traditional ruler of Ogidi, submerging vehicles parked within the premises.
He stressed that the scale of the environmental damage required substantial federal assistance through the Ecological Fund and other relevant intervention agencies.
Senate Calls for Emergency Relief, Ecological Intervention
Following deliberations on the motion, the Senate urged the Federal Government, through the Office of the SGF and the Ecological Fund Office, to recognise the flooding and erosion crisis in Ogidi, Obosi and Awka as requiring urgent national intervention and coordinate appropriate assistance to affected communities.
The Senate also mandated the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide immediate relief materials to affected and displaced residents, including food, potable water, temporary shelter, medical supplies and other essential assistance.
It further urged the Federal Ministry of Works and relevant agencies to urgently assess, rehabilitate and reconstruct damaged roads and access routes in the affected communities, as well as provide adequate drainage systems to restore mobility, facilitate emergency response and support economic activities.
Similarly, the Senate called on the Federal Ministry of Environment, through the appropriate agencies, to conduct a comprehensive technical assessment of the erosion and flooding sites in Ogidi, Obosi and Awka.
The assessment, it said, should be followed by sustainable flood and erosion-control measures, including the construction, rehabilitation and expansion of appropriate drainage and stormwater management systems.
The upper chamber also urged the Ecological Project Office and other relevant federal intervention agencies to prioritise the affected erosion sites for immediate remedial action, particularly the gully erosion threatening Ugamuma Community and the Onitsha–Owerri Expressway axis.
To ensure effective oversight and implementation, the Senate mandated its Committees on Environment; Works; and Ecology and Climate Change, in collaboration with other relevant committees and agencies, to conduct an on-the-spot assessment of the affected areas and submit their findings and recommendations to the Senate within two weeks.
Umeh Urges Anambra Government, Southeast Development Commission to Act
While seeking federal intervention, Umeh cautioned the Anambra State Government against leaving the responsibility entirely to Abuja.
He urged Governor Chukwuma Soludo to complement federal efforts by constructing drainage channels across affected communities to direct stormwater away from residential areas to safe discharge points.
According to the senator, effective stormwater management is essential to reducing the destructive force of floodwaters, preventing further erosion and protecting homes and other infrastructure.
He explained that concrete drainage systems and appropriate engineering solutions would help prevent rainwater from flowing indiscriminately through communities and worsening existing gullies.
Umeh also disclosed that he had appealed to the Southeast Development Commission to prioritise environmental challenges across the region.
He said he raised the issue during a meeting with the commission in Enugu, urging it to incorporate erosion control and environmental protection into its intervention programmes.
The senator noted that erosion and environmental degradation had remained persistent challenges in the Southeast since the Second Republic, with communities in Anambra State continuing to suffer devastating consequences.
He cited the erosion menace in Agulu and Obosi as examples of the scale of the problem, stressing that sustained collaboration among federal, state and regional development authorities was necessary to achieve lasting solutions.
Umeh Promises Follow-Up on Senate Resolution
Umeh assured residents that he would pursue the matter beyond the passage of the motion, emphasising that effective implementation of legislative resolutions was critical to addressing the crisis.
He disclosed that he had written to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, forwarding photographs and videos documenting the devastating erosion and flooding in his senatorial district.
The senator said he also planned to meet the SGF personally to discuss the situation and explore ways of securing urgent federal intervention.
He explained that the Senate had a committee responsible for monitoring compliance with its resolutions and following up with relevant government agencies to ensure that issues raised through motions received appropriate attention.
According to him, the worsening environmental crisis requires sustained engagement with the responsible authorities because lives, homes and livelihoods remain under daily threat.
He warned that gully erosion would continue to expand if stormwater was not properly controlled through effective drainage systems and other appropriate engineering solutions.
Umeh called for immediate and coordinated action by all levels of government to prevent further loss of lives and property, stressing that protecting vulnerable communities must remain a priority.