Relief and hope swept across Ideato North and South Federal Constituency of Imo State on Thursday, June 26, 2025, as the House of Representatives officially declared the area a national erosion and road disaster zone following a compelling motion sponsored by Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere Ikeagwuonu. The unanimous resolution now puts federal spotlight on the devastating environmental crisis threatening over 32 communities in the region.
During the heated plenary session in Abuja, Ugochinyere painted a grim picture of the gully erosion and total road collapse devastating communities like Umueshi, Amanator, Urualla, Isiekenesi, Isiokpo, Umuaghobe, Ozuomee, Obodoukwu, Arondizuogu, Akokwa, Umumaisiaku, and Umuobom. He reminded lawmakers that the erosion menace has not only destroyed homes and farmlands but also cut off residents from critical infrastructure like hospitals, schools, and markets.
Raising constitutional grounds under Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Ugochinyere stressed that government’s primary duty is to protect lives and property. He cited the worsening conditions at Urualla’s three massive erosion sites and the sinking Umuobom Bridge as clear signs of impending humanitarian disaster if immediate action is not taken.
Lawmakers praised the Federal Government’s past intervention at the Umuchima erosion site but agreed that the scale of destruction in Ideato now demands a broader and more aggressive federal response. The House directed key agencies including the Federal Ministries of Works and Environment, FERMA, the Ecological Fund Office, NDDC, and the South-East Development Commission (SEDC) to initiate emergency repairs and erosion control projects without further delay.
To address the immediate humanitarian impact, the House also called on the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, alongside the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), to urgently deliver relief materials to displaced families across the affected communities.
In addition, five critical House Committees—Works, Environment, Emergency and Disaster Preparedness, Ecological Fund, and NDDC—have been mandated to monitor compliance and deliver a progress report within four weeks. This move is seen as a legislative pressure tactic to ensure the resolutions don’t end up as empty rhetoric.
For many residents in Ideato North and South, this latest milestone cements Ikenga Ugochinyere’s growing reputation as a fearless advocate for his people. As social media platforms fill with messages of support using hashtags like #SaveIdeato and #ErosionCrisis, all eyes are now on federal agencies to turn legislative words into on-ground action.
