NEWS
Abia State Assembly Flags Urgent Environmental Threat as Lawmaker Seeks Reinstatement of Amuke/Elu Erosion Site on NEWMAP Project List
The Abia State House of Assembly, in the continued discharge of its constitutional mandate of democratic governance, convened a plenary session to deliberate on critical matters affecting the wellbeing of citizens, while also laying the groundwork for key legislative interventions across the state.
The session opened with the consideration of a ‘Matter of Urgent Public Importance,’ a special parliamentary procedure reserved for pressing issues that require immediate legislative attention due to their potential impact on lives, property, and public safety.
Leading the debate, the Member representing Ohafia South State Constituency, Hon. Kalu Mba Nwoke, drew the attention of the House to what he described as an alarming environmental threat confronting the Amuke/Elu community.
The lawmaker formally requested that the House direct the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) to reinstate the Amuke/Elu erosion site on its official project list.
Hon. Nwoke alleged that the erosion site was unjustly removed from the list, attributing the action to the political interests of a project director, rather than any technical or environmental consideration. He warned that the continued exclusion of the site from NEWMAP’s intervention plans has left the community dangerously exposed to worsening erosion, with the attendant risks of property destruction, displacement of residents, and loss of livelihoods.
To further emphasize the gravity of the situation, the lawmaker presented before the House a formal SOS letter from the Ohafia Improvement Union, the umbrella body representing the affected community. The letter passionately appealed for urgent government intervention, describing the erosion menace as a looming disaster that could escalate if immediate steps are not taken.
Responding to the presentation, the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Ihuoma Emereuwa, acknowledged the seriousness of the matter and the potential consequences for the people of Amuke/Elu. In the interest of ensuring transparency, accuracy, and evidence-based legislative action, the Speaker refrained from issuing an immediate ruling on the request.
Instead, he directed Hon. Kalu Mba Nwoke, in his capacity as Chairman of the House Committee on Environment, to undertake a comprehensive investigation into the allegations surrounding the delisting of the erosion site.
The Speaker further instructed that the findings of the investigation be formally reported to the full House at a later date for informed deliberation and possible legislative action.
This procedural step effectively places the Assembly on notice of a forthcoming motion on the matter, while underscoring the House’s commitment to due process, accountability, and the protection of vulnerable communities.
It is noted that the development highlights the growing emphasis of the 8th Abia Assembly on environmental protection, responsive representation, and people-oriented governance, as it continues to position itself as a proactive institution in addressing the urgen
t needs of Abians.