Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo has urged residents to take personal responsibility for flood and erosion prevention, warning that the state government cannot single-handedly protect the state from the consequences of blocked drainage systems, indiscriminate refuse disposal and unregulated construction on flood plains, as seven local government areas face high flood risk in the coming weeks.
The governor's appeal was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Christian Aburime, following the release of a high flood-risk alert by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency for fifteen states, including Anambra, covering the period from September 19 to 25 and beyond. The statement said the state had already begun experiencing flash floods, with residents in several communities reporting inundation in the past week, including the rescue of schoolchildren trapped in a bus along the Ring Road axis of Nibo in Awka South Local Government Area, where six children were rescued and one remained missing.
Soludo said the government had taken proactive measures, including the statewide clearance of waterways under Operation Clear Your Waterways 3.0, the desilting of drainage channels and the deployment of emergency response teams, but warned that the success of these measures depended on the cooperation of residents. "Government can clear the drains, but government cannot stop residents from dumping refuse into them," he said. "We can build flood defences, but we cannot stop people from building on waterways. Flood prevention is a collective responsibility, and every resident has a role to play."
The statement urged residents to avoid indiscriminate dumping of refuse in drainage channels and rivers, to stop building on flood plains and waterways, and to report blockages and erosion threats to the relevant authorities. It also advised residents in flood-prone communities to relocate to higher ground where necessary and to heed early warnings issued by the state government and emergency agencies. "Do not wait until the water is at your door before you act," Soludo said.
The Commissioner for Environment, Dr Clem Aguiyi, said the state had mapped out vulnerable areas and was working with local government authorities, traditional rulers and community leaders to sensitise residents. He said the ministry had deployed monitoring teams to the seven high-risk local government areas identified by NiHSA, namely Aguata, Anambra East, Anambra West, Anaocha, Awka North, Awka South and Ayamelum. "We have also intensified enforcement against illegal refuse disposal and unauthorised construction on drainage channels," he said.
The scale of the risk in Anambra is substantial. NiHSA identified 1,314 communities, 1,308 schools, 1,089 healthcare facilities, 280 markets, 610 religious buildings and 1,529 hectares of farmland as exposed to potential flooding in the state. Across the fifteen states covered by the alert, more than 8,000 communities and 4,500 schools are at risk. The National Emergency Management Agency has placed emergency teams on red alert and activated its National Emergency Operations Centre to enhance coordination and ensure effective response.
On erosion, Soludo said the state government was implementing a permanent solution to the gully erosion challenges affecting several communities, particularly in Awka South, where the Nibo–Umuawulu–Mbaukwu road corridor has been badly affected. He said the state had partnered with the World Bank under the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project to construct drainage channels, retention walls and gully control structures. "We are not just reacting to erosion; we are implementing permanent solutions," he said. He appealed to residents to support the projects by allowing access to sites and refraining from activities that undermine the works.
The governor also called on community leaders, religious organisations and youth groups to mobilise residents for clean-up exercises and to ensure that drainage channels in their areas were free of debris before the peak of the rainy season. He said the state government would continue to provide logistics and technical support to communities that demonstrated commitment to flood and erosion prevention.
The appeal comes amid a broader national effort to address the annual flood crisis, which has claimed hundreds of lives and displaced hundreds of thousands in 2026 alone. The Federal Government has warned that flooding is expected to worsen in the coming weeks as rainfall peaks, and it has urged state governments and communities to prepare adequately. For Anambra, the combination of its location within the Delta belt, its high population density and the prevalence of gully erosion in many communities makes it particularly vulnerable. Whether Soludo's appeal translates into the behavioural change he is seeking will be determined in the coming weeks, as the rains continue and the flood risk remains high. As the governor put it, the government can build defences, but only residents can ensure that the drains remain clear and that homes are not built where water must pass.
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