An illegal drainage along Nwangene Stream, River Niger Way, Onitsha, which has become a major blockage of flood has been marked for demolition by Anambra State Government Taskforce.
The taskforce, led by the Commissioner for Works, Engineer Ifeanyi Okonma, stopped the action of Federal Inland Waterways workers, who blocked the original waterways and drainages and created their own makeshift drainage thereby causing huge gullies in the area.
According to the Commissioner, Governor Chukwuma Soludo is determined and committed to making Anambra State a liveable and prosperous mega city which can only be achieved by disrupting many old practices in the state.
He explained that reopening the original waterways which is blocked by illegal activities of people in the area is one of government’s efforts to protect the environment , pointing out that flood has done a lot of damages to inhabitants of the area.
Engineer Okoma also added that Nwangene Stream which discharges natural warm water into River Niger has been blocked by the negligent activities of people.
Also speaking , one of the members of the task force, Barrister Chike Maduekwe, said that the main purpose of the visit, is to ascertain the damage already done in the drainage system and proffer solutions.
According to him, the drainage should be built in such a way that water will pass freely into River Niger and warned the staff of the Federal Inland Waterways to stop selling government land to people.
In an interview, the chairman of Biafra Market, Mr. Success Chiokwe and a trader in the market, Mr. Kelue Nnanyelugo, expressed delight over government’s intervention to clear the waterways and channel water appropriately which according to him, will mark the end of flooding into the market.
Other places visited included Akunnia Ojote waterways and Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church Housing Estate, Fegge, Onitsha.
Comments are closed for this post.