The Anambra State Government has planned a statewide clearance of waterways and drainage channels as part of measures to prevent flooding and environmental degradation ahead of the rainy season.
Tochukwu Obodogha, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, stated this on Sunday in Awka, stressing that the exercise, tagged “Operation Clear Your Waterways 3.0,” was scheduled to begin on April 27, 2026.
Obodogha said the initiative was aimed at ensuring that all waterways and drainage systems were free from silt, debris and waste materials that could obstruct the free flow of rainwater.
He warned that failure to clear blocked waterways before the outset of heavy rainfall could result in flooding, erosion and environmental degradation, posing risks to lives and property.
He listed the expected compliers as religious organisations, Landlord Associations, market unions, motor park operators and schools.
Obodogha noted that the directive applied to streets, estates, Churches, Mosques, abattoirs, shopping malls, neighbourhoods and other public spaces.
According to him, all debris removed from drainage channels must be properly disposed of at designated locations, not left on roadsides, to avoid secondary pollution.
He said that defaulters would face appropriate sanctions.
It will be recalled that the Federal Government, in a notice on April 8, 2026, had identified several communities in Anambra as high-risk areas in its latest flood warning covering 10 States across the country.
The alert, issued by the National Flood Early Warning Centre under the Federal Ministry of Environment, predicted heavy rainfall and specifically listed Atani, Iyowa Odekpe and Onitsha in Anambra state as communities likely to experience flooding.
It urged State Governments and residents to take immediate precautionary measures.
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