GOV SOLUDO COMMISSIONS REFUGE EVACUATION, DREGING OF SAKAMORI & ONITSHA CANALS
REPORTER: ONYINYE CHIJIOBI
Anambra State Government has commenced the desilting of Okpoko and Onitsha water ways to avert environmental threats associated with flooding.
The State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, who officially commissioned the dredging of Sakamori in Ogbaru Local Government Area and Onitsha, explained that the desilting would be replicated in all the local government areas of the state.
Flooding is one of the nightmares faced by residents of residents of Onitsha, especially during the rainy season.
It has displaced more people than any other natural disaster while studies show that about 20% of the Nigerian population is at the risk of flooding, which consistently causes death and displacement of communities.
Governor Soludo explained that the habits of erecting structures on flood plains, indiscriminate dumping of refuse, excessive rainfall and deforestation were identified as the causative factors, which helped to render the communities vulnerable .
The Governor urged the people to desist from actions that would cause flooding such as dumping of refuge into drainage and building structures on waterways, warning that defaulters would be duly sanctioned hence forth.
He explained that although previous administrations had embarked on sensitization
among other measures, to discourage people from environmental abuse, a team had been set up to see to the clearing of drainage on a daily basis.
Governor Soludo warned those who built structures on water ways to demolish such or await government’s action.
In a remark, a renowned prophet in Onitsha, Mr. Chukwuemeka Odumeje, thanked the Governor for keeping to his campaign promises of restoring onitsha and environs fit for human habitation.
Some of the residents, who recounted their ordeals
whenever it rained, commended Governor Soludo for being the
first to embark on the exercise to ensure free flow of water.
The Deputy Governor, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim; the Speaker of the state House of Assembly Mr. Uchenna Okafor; were among other top government dignitaries in the Governor’s entourage.