‘More Buildings May Collapse In Anambra Over Poor Drainage Systems’

Raymond Ozoji, Awka

The Anambra State House of Assembly has called on the Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, to as a matter of urgent public importance direct the commissioner for works, housing  and the commissioner for environment to immediately effect the assessment and repairs on the collapsed building at inland town Onitsha.

The state assembly equally directed that  the section of the road leading to the ill-fated building that has been badly damaged should also be attended to and also direct the chairman Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to urgently make emergency arrangement to shelter those who have been displaced by the unfortunate disaster.

Member representing Onitsha North 1 Constituency at the Anambra State House of Assembly, Dauglas Nwachukwu, brought to the notice of other legislators during plenary, the catastrophe that occurred at inland town Onitsha, his constituency.

According to Nwachukwu, the collapse was as a result of poor  drainage system. In his submission, Nwachukwu said, “There is a gutter that directs rain from In-line town to the river. A section of it close to the collapsed building was responsible for the collapsed building and other buildings close to it. The re-directed water created a huge gully at the base of the building which led to its collapse”.

Commending the state government and the Anambra state police command for their rapid response as well as asking landlords and tenants to evacuate the areas to avoid further casualties, Nwachukwu emphasized that “if immediate actions are not taking to salvage the situation, more buildings are going to collapse.”

“I am calling on the government, to make arrangement for those who have been displaced as a result of the emergency evacuation. I have received calls from those who were affected and I have also visited the areas. These are families whose kids are to resume school like others but they are left roaming about from one place to another without shelter, food and proper health care,” Nwachukwu lamented

Anambra state Assembly speaker, Uche Victor Okafor, while reacting to the matter of urgent importance maintained that “Anambra state is well planned with agencies that are responsible with town planning but it is quite pathetic that Anambra state is still losing properties duo to menace of flood caused by poor drainage system.

“The lifestyle of Ndi-Anambra towards drainage is not encouraging. People build on drainage systems and dump refuse there, thereby blocking the drainage. The effect of it is what we are seeing and experiencing now – things like building collapse, road collapse and destruction of road infrastructures.” Okafor however sympathized with the victims.