By MaryAnn Chukwuma
Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has declared a state of emergency on the environment as part of renewed efforts to tackle environmental degradation and build a cleaner, greener and more sustainable state.
Governor Soludo made the declaration during a statewide media chat in Awka on Aug. 27, as Anambra marked its 35th anniversary under the theme, “Our Environment, Our Future, A Call for Collective Action.”
The governor said the declaration would strengthen the state’s renewed clean and green initiative, which is designed to promote environmental responsibility and ensure a healthier and better-planned Anambra for present and future generations.
He described environmental degradation as a serious existential threat, citing erosion, flooding and other ecological challenges that continue to endanger communities, infrastructure, farmlands and livelihoods across the state.
According to him, factors such as blocked drainage channels, construction on waterways, uncontrolled runoff, deforestation, cultivation on vulnerable slopes and indiscriminate sand mining have continued to aggravate the environmental challenges facing the state.
Governor Soludo disclosed that over 30 per cent of Anambra’s landmass had been affected by erosion, stressing that the magnitude of the problem required active participation from citizens alongside government interventions.
He noted that his administration had introduced various drainage interventions, strengthened environmental regulations and restricted developments that fail to comply with proper drainage and physical planning standards.
The governor urged traditional rulers, town unions, churches, schools, markets and communities across the state to take greater ownership of their environment and support government efforts to protect it.
He directed the 179 communities in the state to maintain regular desilting of drainage channels, while urging households to provide and maintain waste bins, properly manage runoff and avoid activities capable of blocking waterways.
The Anambra State Governor also encouraged Ndi Anambra to embrace tree planting and remain vigilant in protecting their surroundings, stressing that safeguarding the environment must be a shared responsibility if the state is to secure a healthier and greener future for generations yet unborn.
MaryAnn Chukwuma is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, Anambra State
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