The Akwa Ibom State Government has spent N10 billion on erosion control projects in the state in the last nine months, the Commissioner for Environment, Charles Udoh, said.

Mr Udoh, in Eket on Friday, said that the money was spent on two major sites – Etim Umana erosion and St Luke Hospital control projects.

“In the last nine months or so, we have spent close to N10 billion on erosion and the two major sites are Etim Umana Erosion and St Luke Hospital erosion control projects,’’ he said.

The commissioner noted that businesses, houses and critical infrastructure had been displaced by erosion and flood in the areas.

According to him, more cities in Akwa Ibom are prone to gully erosion due to the natural topography and soil texture in those locations.

“This automatically means that whenever there is downpour, we are in the rain belt, gully erosion will become a problem,’’ he said.

He said building of houses on the right of way and farming on the slope of gully were some causes of gully erosion.

Mr Udoh said the IBB Avenue flood control project, if not checked, could have a spill effect on erosion control.

“We are receiving a major drain to evacuate flood water because if you allow flood water to be there (IBB avenue) for a long time, it will begin to heat the crux of the earth surface.

“Then erosion will begin to prick in, especially in a place like Uyo where the soil texture is loose,’’ Mr Udoh said.

The commissioner said the state government had rescued more than 100 houses, including the entire St. Luke and School of Nursing in Etim Umana from erosion.

On ecological issues, he noted that the state government alone could not solve the state’s erosion problem, adding that it was seeking for intervention (ecological funds) to do that.

He lamented that some residents of Uyo, Ibesikpo and Itu local governments still live in erosion prone areas after being asked to evacuate the sites.

Mr Udoh said that the state government had identified10 erosion sites on which to carry out control projects, but lacked the funds to execute the job.

“We are trying to access the ecological funds, we hope that we will have some success,’’ the commissioner said.