Anambra State Implements Lockdown for Drainage Cleanup

The Anambra State Government has announced a five-hour lockdown to clean all drainage channels in the state. This step is part of efforts to tackle gully erosion and flooding.

The government shared this news in a statement on Monday, signed by Law Mefor, the Commissioner for Information, and Clem Aguiyi, the Commissioner for Environment.

Anambra State is facing serious environmental problems, especially flooding and gully erosion. The state government declared a state of emergency on the environment in the statement.

The government criticized residents for dumping waste into drainage channels. They also condemned building on waterways, illegal structures, and encroachment on drainage areas.

The statement added that some people are involved in "excessive sand mining," which worsens environmental issues in the region.

To tackle these challenges, the government ordered a cleanup of all drainage systems and the halt of uncontrolled sand mining. These activities contribute significantly to flooding and gully erosion in the state.

The cleanup will start on Saturday, 4 July 2026. This day has been set for a statewide desilting and waste removal exercise.

The exercise will include markets, transport unions, youths, community leaders, churches, and all residents. The government is asking everyone to cooperate with this initiative and warned that violators will face legal action.

The statement reminded those building new houses to include catch pits for managing run-off water, as required by law.

During the cleanup, businesses and movement will be restricted from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. This is to allow for the cleaning of drainage channels.

Only essential services will be exempted. These include security agencies, health workers, ambulances, journalists, the fire service, and others performing essential duties.