Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has commenced the clearing of wastes and desilting of drainage systems in the Onitsha metropolis.
The governor, who arrived the communities, with members of his entourage, at about 11:32am on Saturday, commenced the monitoring and supervision of works from the Obiano Park, Upper Iweka axis of Onitsha South, through Fegge, Ochanja market, and Ochanja roundabout.
According to the governor, the exercise will last till today. After flagging off the exercise, the governor said he would monitor the three-day waste evacuation and drainage cleaning in the four communities which are Onitsha North and South, Ogbaru and Idemili North local government areas.
At the scene of the exercise, excavators were seen evacuating wastes from the drainages, and dumping places around the vicinities, loading same in tippers for immediate dumping at dump sites already provided by the state government.
Workers and residents of the areas were also seen clearing and helping to ensure that the wastes which have become an eyesore were removed.
They expressed happiness at the governor’s initiative towards enthroning a clean and healthy environment.
Environmental health officers, officials of Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra, OCHA Brigade, major stakeholders in the areas, including the Member Representing Onitsha North Constituency two, Mr Edward Ibuzor, an aspirant for Ogbaru Federal Constituency in 2023 election, Honourable Chris Onyekachukwu Nwokedi, were present at the sanitation exercise.
Soludo will still visit other parts of the four local government areas involved, to ensure that work is going on as planned.
Meanwhile, some people who tried to defy the order of the lockdown by opening their shops were ordered to close their shops in obedience of the 7am to 6pm restriction exercise.