Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra has warned that structures and any other developmental projects constructed on erosion sites being reclaimed would be demolished.
Obiano gave the warning while addressing community leaders in Enugu-Ukwu, Njikoka Local Government during the presentation of cheques to erosion affected persons by the Nigerian Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) in the state.
He was represented by Mr Ifeanyi Ejikeme, the state Commissioner for Environment, Beautification and Ecology.
He said that the directive for people to stay off recovered areas was to enable the sites heal completely to forestall a recurrence.
The Commissioner, who is also the steering Committee Chairman of NEWMAP in Anambra, said that previous owners could no longer lay claim to such lands as it was now under the care of the state, Federal Government and World Bank for beautification purposes.
He explained that the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) programme was designed to assist those who would lose their farmlands and economic trees in the course of civil works at the four new sites recently approved by the bank in the state.
“The state government has fully paid the 2017 counterpart fund for the project as Anambra is the first to do so this year.
“We have come to compensate those who will be affected when the civil works begin at the erosion site here in Enugu-Ukwu.
“After the compensation, we do not expect anybody to go back to the reclaimed and bio-remediated sites.
“It will now be under the care of sponsors of NEWMAP who could use such places for recreational or beautification purposes to enable the areas to heal.
“We shall pull down structures in such place; we have a case in hand at Awka where we intervened but somebody has already built a structure there; we are still consulting and most likely such structure will be demolished.
“Aside this compensation, we also have plans to train and issue grant to these people, so that they can get back to their normal lives,” he said.
In her remark, Mrs Ruth-Peter Mshelia from the Social and Livelihood Department of NEWMAP, Abuja, urged the people to change their attitude to the environment, noting that erosion was largely man-made.
Mshelia called on the people of Enugu-Ukwu to take ownership of the project and ensure that it progressed seamlessly.
Responding, the Deputy Prime Minister of Enugu-Ukwu, Chief Clem Nwafor said they were happy with the intervention, adding that the people had lived with the erosion menace for a long time.
Nwafor thanked the World Bank and Anambra Government for considering the plight of the persons affected and paying them compensation to cushion their losses.
He, however, urged NEWMAP to engage competent contractors who have the capacity and expertise to execute the project.
“We are calling on them to engage professional contractors who will do a good job and not political contractors, so that our people will be better,’’ he said.
The compensation was under the RAP of NEWMAP, which is the lead intervention agency in the state, jointly funded by the state government and World Bank.
Cheques amounting to N10.4 million were issued to 76 households in the two erosion-ravaged communities of Urunebo and Enuoji in Enugu-Ukwu.
This brings to a total of N37.1 million disbursed to 255 households under the RAP programme since March 6 in three towns of the state.
Earlier, 64 households in Umuoji in Idemili South received compensation amounting to N10. 4 million while 85 households in Ogidi, Idemili North, got N9.23 million for damages to their farmlands and economic trees during construction work at the erosion sites.
One of the beneficiaries of the RAP compensation programme, Mr Moses Okonkwo, requested that youths in the communities should be involved in the execution of the projects.
