By Uchenna Ezeadigwe
Awka
As
part of efforts to promote environmental sustainability and cleanliness in
Anambra State, a group under the auspices of Dobe Anambra Ocha has called on
residents to adopt safer and more responsible refuse disposal practices.
The leader of the group, Mr Ernest Obinna
Okafor, made the call on Wednesday, September 24, 2026, during a sensitisation
and monitoring exercise conducted at various refuse disposal flashpoints in
Awka, the Anambra State capital.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after the
exercise, Okafor said the initiative was prompted by the persistent blockage of
drainage channels and gutters across the state, which he said contributes to
flooding and environmental degradation, particularly during the rainy season.
According to him, the initiative was started by a
group of friends who came together to promote environmental cleanliness and
encourage residents to see proper waste disposal as a civic responsibility.
“It is an initiative by a group of friends who
came together to ensure that keeping the environment clean is a civic
responsibility of every citizen,” Okafor said.
He noted that the rainy season had exposed the
consequences of indiscriminate refuse disposal, with waste materials frequently
obstructing drainage channels and affecting major roads.
“During the rainy season, you find out that rain
has blocked virtually the most accessible roads in the state. These are as a
result of debris from improper disposal of refuse by residents,”
Okafor identified corn leaves, sachet-water
plastics, containers, cartons and other forms of domestic waste as some of the
materials commonly found in gutters and drainage channels.
He said the development prompted the group to
embark on sensitisation activities aimed at encouraging residents to dispose of
their waste at government-designated collection points rather than dumping it
in gutters.
According to him, reducing indiscriminate
dumping could significantly reduce flooding and erosion-related challenges
across the state.
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