Unyime

As Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi took several actions to address gully erosion and petitioned the federal government for ecological support, though his record is viewed differently by political critics and supporters. [1, 2, 3] Actions and Measures Taken During His Tenure •Road Design and Drainage Policies: Obi blamed past poor road designs for worsening gully erosion and mandated that all new roads built by his administration include proper drainage systems linked directly to safe water discharge points. [1] • •Site-Specific Control Projects: His administration executed flood and gully erosion control works in specific communities, such as constructing a 6-kilometer network of concrete drains and a reinforced concrete channel in Adazi Nnukwu to route water safely into the Inway River, as well as undertaking interventions in Umo Equilobia and Amobia village. [1] • •Creation of NEWMAP (Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project): According to former Environment Minister John Odey, Obi was instrumental in pushing for and helping establish NEWMAP, a World Bank-backed project designed to finance and manage gully erosion across affected Nigerian states. [1] • •Federal Intervention Advocacy: Obi repeatedly appealed to the federal government for ecological funds and special assistance to tackle the state's severe erosion crises, linking road construction projects with erosion mitigation efforts. [1, 2] • Political Debates and Criticisms •Criticisms: Political opponents—including President Bola Tinubu—have criticized Obi's record, alleging that his administration did not do enough to permanently halt the thousands of active gully erosion sites across Anambra State. [1, 2] • •Supporters' Defense: Supporters maintain that Obi faced a massive, geologically fragile crisis with limited state resources, making structural interventions like drainage reform and championing the World Bank NEWMAP initiative significant steps for the region. [1, 2, 3] •

‘Obi instrumental to erosion control’ thenationonlineng.net/obi-in… A former Minister of Environment, Mr. John Odey, has said former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi was instrumental to the creation of the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP). Under the project, the World Bank will finance the control and management of erosion in some states. The former minister recalled how Obi almost single-handedly pushed for the project, even when his colleagues were lukewarm. Odey spoke yesterday in Abuja at the official launch of the project at the Transcorps Hilton. He urged communities to key in into the project. The World Bank Country Director Marie Francois Marie-Nelly said there was need to seriously tackle erosion in Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi, Enugu, Abia, Edo and Cross River states. She called for ownership and domestication of the project, especially in the affected states. The World Bank chief hailed those implementing the project for their innovation, which emphasises reclamation and control. Marie-Nelly said: “I have visited Edo and Anambra states. Under Peter Obi, I was pleased with his commitment, which he demonstrated by being the first to pay the state’s counterpart funds of N500 million for the project. Ebonyi, Cross River and Imo states have also paid theirs.” Environment Minister Mrs Laurentia Mallam said erosion had caused havoc in several states and deprived the people of arable land.