Governor Chukwuma Soludo on Friday began his promised urban renewal effort in Okpoko, Ogbaru Local Government Area (LGA) its environs and the State in general as an enforcement team of the State Physical Planning Board started marking of structures for removal in the area.
Okpoko, a sprawling slum which has a population of over a million, sits on the east bank of the Niger River just North of the larger city of Onitsha.
The enforcement team was led by the Executive Chairman of the Board, Barrister Chike Maduekwe who are executing the programme with the Master Plan of Okpoko.
They team inspected the area from the Second Niger Bridge, establishing that over200 structures are blocking the road, drainage and water way, thereby preventing successful emptying of flood water into the Niger River.
The clean up exercise is one of the major deliverables of Soludo’s plan to make Anambra a liveable city.
Barrister Maduekwe explained that the major challenge in the area is that many people blocked the waterway especially the Sakamori drainage, saying that when it rains, it stops water from emptying into the Niger River, causing flooding with its attendant damages
He revealed that the Governor has given instruction to mark every house on the waterway and give them notice to remove by themselves, stating that if they don’t remove those structures, government will do so and charge them for the expenses.
The Chief Surveyor, Anambra State Physical Planning Board, Somto Atuenyi who pointed out that his mission is to be a guide, said that the board remains focused and committed to the mandate.
Some of the residents expressed joy that the Governor has kept his promise, praying God to help him complete what they described as genuine desire to transform the state.
You will recall that true to his promise, Governor Soludo Visited Okpoko on the 18th of March, 2022, a day after he was sworn in as Governor, where he performed on the spot accessment of the area.