First rain of the year usually records littered environments, loss of lives and destruction of properties as a result of blocked drainage channels that hinders flow of flood.
However, this year’s first rain was different as there have not been any report of such ugly incidence.
This was as a result of compliance to the State Government’s directive towards massive clearing of drainage channels to give way for the free flow of flood.
The effect of first rain of the year around Onitsha and environs reports that while most areas in Onitsha enjoy clean and peaceful environment after the rain as a result of cleared drainage channels, some others have debris littered their environment and blocked drainages as a result of noncompliance to the State Government’s directive on desilting of drainage channels.
Areas visited with clean environment were, Oraifite Street Awada, M.C.C junction Awada axis, Limca Road and new Market Road Nkpor, while at People’s club axis of Limca Road Nkpor, Nkpor Junction, Ilodibe road, Obodougwu road Okpoko there were lots of debris that littered the environment with their drainage channels blocked, a clear indication of noncompliance to the State Government’s directive.
At new Author Spare Parts Market along new market road Nkpor, casual workers were seen clearing the drainage channels as according to them they commenced the exercise since Wednesday before the rain.
Speaking to the ABS, Mrs Chinelo Ngonadi a seamstress along Oraifite Street Awada, and Mr. Chinedu Okonkwo a motor spare parts dealer along the street thanked the State government for their vision in drainage evacuation in preparation for rainy season.
At New parts Market Nkpor, the caretaker chairman New Auto Spare Parts market Nkpor Chief Stephen Ofoleh while commending the State Government’s vision on drainage evacuation in readiness for the rainy season said that it yielded good result and worth sustaining.
Also, at Obodougwu Road Okpoko, the Chairman Relief Main market Ogbaru, Ogbaru Local Government Area, Chief Ndubuisi Ochiogu extolled the State government’s directive on evacuation of drainage in readiness for the rainy season.
In a related development, ABS also observed a freshly collapsed part at the gully erosion state at the entrance gate of relief main market Ogbaru as a result of the rain.
Speaking to the ABS the Chairman of the Market Chief Ndubuisi Ochiogu, highlighted his efforts since 2021 when the erosion started at the area, and regretted the wastage of all his efforts when he was out of the office.
He appealed to the governor to come to their aid as he has done all he could to attract FERMA but to no avail.
Some of the traders at the market lamented the ugly situation and how it affects their business at the market.
They said the fallen wall exposed them to criminals that made away with their goods through an opening on the sakemori drainage and appealed to the State government to come to their rescue.
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