By Damilola Samuel
Residents of Ugwueme and Nenwenta communities in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State have been cut off from the rest of the state after a landslide destroyed access to the communities.
The Enugu State House of Assembly raised the alarm on Monday, calling for immediate intervention by the state government, the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Ecological Fund.
The landslide occurred on September 18 after torrential rainfall and blocked the road linking the communities to other parts of Enugu. Residents are now reportedly forced to travel through neighbouring Abia and Imo states to reach other parts of the state.
The situation has also raised concerns over emergency response in the affected areas, following the death of four members of a family after a collapsed overhead water tank reportedly crushed them. A four-year-old child was said to have survived the incident.
The member representing Awgu South State Constituency, Anthony Nwankwo, told the Assembly that the poor access to the communities had made the situation more difficult.
According to him, the victims might have been rescued if the affected communities had remained accessible.
“I move that the House do write the relevant authorities to intervene to open the road leading to Ugwueme and Nenwenta,” Nwankwo said.
Lawmakers who supported the motion urged the government to mobilise resources immediately to clear the road and reconnect the communities.
However, members representing Ezeagu, Nkanu East and Oji River constituencies, Chima Obieze, Okey Mba and Osita Eze, respectively, also called on residents to avoid activities that could increase the risk of landslides.
They warned against building too close to hills and indiscriminate excavation of soil and stones, while stressing that the immediate priority should be restoring access to the affected communities.
Meanwhile, the Assembly also confirmed five nominees to the Enugu State Civil Service Commission after screening them on Monday.
The nominees are Prof Gabriel Ajah as chairman, alongside Christian Mbah, Stella Ekweremadu, Emmanuela Uzonna Ogarabe and Theresa Ifeanyichukwu Onyefuzili as members.
The nominees were confirmed after lawmakers considered their qualifications and professional records.
Ajah, who previously served as a Permanent Secretary for 19 years and as Dean of Permanent Secretaries for 14 years, pledged that discipline and punctuality would guide the commission.
“We shall lead by example. We must be punctual to work,” he said.
