Anambra State Physical Planning Board has cautioned developers against blocking flood channels.
The Executive Chairman of the Board, Barrister Chike Maduekwe who gave the warning during an enforcement exercise at Abubor-Nnewichi Nnewi, asked potential developers to obtain government approval before embarking on any project in the state.
Government House Correspondent, Ejike Abana reports that a developer blocked and erected structures on a drainage channel, causing flooding in the area during rainy season.
The perennial flooding and other environmental challenges such as climate change, global warming, pollution, blocked drainage channels, canals and the rest, have been a major headache to Anambra state government.
Therefore, Anambra state Physical Planning Board, the state government agency with the legal mandate to control developments across the state is leading series of actions put in place by the Anambra state government to explore effective urban planning, developmental control, drainage designs, dredging, construction of drainage channels and environmental education to mitigate all climate change -induced problems confronting the state.
Consequently, the Board became concerned that despite these efforts, a developer would still go on to block a flood channel, sand-filling the drainage channel, erecting a fence and building through the path.
Several warnings by government to the developer to stop further development as far back as 2019 had fallen on deaf ears.
The officials of the board, therefore, paid a visit to the location, cleared the road path and opened up the drainage channel.
According to Barrister Maduekwe, government will not keep tolerating developers who perpetrate illegality with impunity, stressing that the developer is fully aware of the implications of his actions.
He called on potential developers to help seek out ways to help government serve them better by doing the right things because the full arms of the law will always catch up with anybody who flaunts the law.
Some residents of the area who spoke to the ABS on condition of anonymity appreciated Anambra state government for doing the needful, alleging that on many occasions, the developer used all forms of intimidation against them.
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