Residents of Onitsha North and South heaved signs of relief as the government of Professor Chukwuma Soludo fulfilled its promise of desilting and evacuating mountain-like dumped wastes in the areas.
This was witnessed when the state Deputy Governor, Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim monitored the commencement of the exercise in the areas.
Our Government House Correspondent, Emmanuel Okonkwo reports thatduring the inspection exercise by the state Deputy Governor, Dr Ibezim, various sizes of refuse dump sites were seen in many strategic points and junctions around Onitsha including the popular Ochanja roundabout and Awka road by Inland town axis, which not only threatened the health of the residents and road road users, but also restricted them from accessing other parts of the town through the routes.
Nevertheless, the intervention of the Professor Chukwuma Soludo led administration in the areas is gradually restoring healthy environment and free access to other parts of Onitsha for the residents and road users.
Some residents that spoke to the ABS during the outing, including Mr Chidi Alionye and Mr Obinna Enemmuo while expressing happiness on the government’s intervention, described Professor Chukwuma Soludo and his Deputy, Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim as God sent to the state, and promised to key into the state government’s environmental sanitation initiative.
Addressing the residents, the Deputy Governor urged them to partner the Soludo administration in the move towards providing safe and healthy environment for the citizenry by keeping their surroundings clean and desist from dumping refuse in wrong places.
Also speaking, the Member Representing Onitsha North Constituency Two at the state House of Assembly, Honourable Edward Ibuzor who is also the Chairman House Committee on Environment, described indiscriminate dumping of refuse as unlawful act that causes most of the environmental hazards humanity is facing today , including flooding, infectious diseases associated with unhealthy environment and asked people in the areas to desist from the ill practice for their own good.
In various interviews, the President of Anambra State Market Amalgamated Traders Association, ASMATA, Chief Ikechukwu Ekwegbalu, and the President General of Ochanja Central Market, Mr Sunday Anakor commended the intervention of the state government in the areas, and assured of stronger partnership with the state Ministry of Environment towards sustaining cleanliness in all the markets across the state.
Present during the monitoring exercise were the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Honourable Uche Okafor, Secretary to the State Government, Professor Solo Chukwulobelu, Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Retired Air Vice Marshall Ben Chiobi, among others.