By Juliana Nwachukwu
The Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), Anambra State Branch, has called on landlords, tenants, and residents across Anambra State and Nigeria to immediately clear blocked gutters and drainage channels as heavy rainfall continues across the country.
In a statement issued in Awka on June 24, the Chairman of the organization, Comrade Vincent Ezekwueme, and the Secretary, Comrade Chidi Mbah, expressed concern over the increasing number of flood-related deaths, describing the situation as both avoidable and tragic.
Speaking under the theme, “Let Us Protect Human Life,” the group stated that many of the recent fatalities linked to flooding could have been prevented if residents had ensured that drainage systems around their homes and business premises were properly desilted before the onset of the rainy season.
The organization urged members of the public to stop dumping refuse into gutters and waterways, stressing that blocked drainage channels remain a major cause of flooding in many communities.
The CLO also called on the Anambra State Ministry of Environment to intensify public enlightenment campaigns on environmental sanitation, proper waste disposal, and flood prevention measures. It further advocated stricter enforcement of environmental regulations to reduce the risks associated with flooding.
In addition, the group appealed to relevant government agencies to identify and remove illegal structures erected on natural water channels, noting that such developments contribute significantly to flooding and the destruction of lives and property.
The organization also commended Governor Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo and the Anambra State Executive Council for proposing legislation aimed at regulating fees charged by mission and private primary and secondary schools across the state.
According to the group, it had repeatedly drawn the attention of the government to what it described as excessive and arbitrary school fees charged by some institutions despite receiving government support through the payment of staff salaries and allowances.
The CLO expressed optimism that the proposed legislation would bring relief to parents and guardians and urged the state government to ensure its speedy implementation, describing it as a measure capable of protecting both lives and access to education.
Juliana Nwachukwu is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, Anambra State
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