By Gab Alokwe
Students and staff of Ezi-Awka Community Secondary School, Awka, Anambra State, have appealed for urgent government intervention as severe erosion continues to devastate the school environment, destroying infrastructure and disrupting academic activities.
The erosion has already brought down two classroom blocks, while four additional classroom blocks and the staff room are under serious threat of collapse.
The situation came to light during an on the spot assessment visit by officials of the Anambra State Erosion, Watershed and Climate Change Agency (ANSEWCCA), on June 22.
Speaking during the visit, the Principal of the school, Mrs. Eucharia Ogbunyi; the Chairman of the School Based Management Committee, Chief Igwedimma Muologwu; and the Senior Prefect, Master Uchechukwu Obi, expressed concern over the worsening condition of the school.
They lamented that the erosion menace has forced many students to withdraw from the school, while those who remain, alongside their teachers, face constant danger from the threatened buildings.
According to them, the affected structures could collapse at any moment, posing a serious risk to lives and property.
The school authorities further disclosed that the porous nature of the environment had previously exposed the school to attacks by cultists, a challenge that was later curtailed through the deployment of security measures.
They attributed the persistent flooding and erosion to poor urban planning and the absence of an effective drainage system within the area.
During the assessment, Engineer Alex Chukwunwike proposed an integrated erosion-control project for the school, comprising landscaping, concrete works and drainage infrastructure.
He explained that the project would harness and channel floodwater to Obibia Stream, located about 1.25 kilometres from the school.
The Acting Managing Director of ANSEWCCA, Engineer Ifeanyi Nwasinoke, assured the school management and students of the government’s commitment to addressing the problem.
He stated that the agency would submit its assessment report to the appropriate authorities to facilitate the necessary intervention and protect the school from further erosion damage.
Gab Alokwe is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, Anambra State
