Anambra Lost 13,461 Hecters Of Land To Flood, As Soludo Plants 1M Trees Yearly

Anambra state has so far lost over 13,461 hectors of land to flood and gully erosion since its creation and a development that has also led to the destruction of 20,000 houses as at the year 2020 .

Consequent upon this development Gov Charles Soludo has announced the planting of one million trees every year in order to save the state from environmental degradation.

Similarly Community leaders and stakeholders in the environmental sector have been urged to embark on sustained sensitization aimed at recovering the huge lost to flood and gully erosion.

These are contained in a resolution during the Town Hall meeting in celebration of this year’s World Earth Day organized by the state ministry of Environment.

According to Soludo who was represented by the Deputy Governor Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim “We share the same size of land mass with Lagos state and while Lagos is expanding up to the Atlantic ocean our state is losing our land to flood and gully erosion and this is unacceptable to us as a government”

“So far you can agree with the second paper presenter Prof Leonard Muoghalu that Anambra has lost over 13,461 Hecters of land to the gully erosion and flooding and that has also translated to over 20,000 houses lost as at 2020.”

“Also we have problems of waste management in Anambra state and that was why the governor had to start with places like Okpoko and also announced that one million trees would be planted every year and we have been sharing coconut trees and other economic trees to save our environment”

Speaking earlier the Commissioner for Environment Engr Felix Odimegwu noted that the team of this year’s World Earth Day is Clean, Green And Sustainable Anambra State which also gets the Communities to take charge of their environment.

“This year’s World Earth Day is unique because we have chosen to organize a town hall meeting with not only the communities but also all major players such as medical personnel as well as those in the industrial and commercial sectors”

“This is aimed at exposing the people to the important roles that they need to play in saving and protecting our environment and as a government we are committed towards reclaiming what we had lost and it is important that we plant two trees anytime we cut down one tree” he said.

According to the Paper presenters Prof Leonard Muoghalu, Prof Peter Nnabude and Mr Adeleye Mayuwa Odugbemi ;

“There is the need to change our behavior towards to environment and it is as a result of human activities that we have caused so much havock on our environment”

“The only way out is for us to have an efficient transport and building systems where there are regulations and with the enabling laws that must be policed ”

“Similarly it has become instructive that our people should take over our environment and also check mate in emission of traffic gas that has affected our ozone layer” they said.