Ogbaru Main Market Begins Weekly Sanitation, Hires Tipper to Evacuate Waste

By Polycarp Ifeanyi

In support of Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo’s drive for environmental cleanliness, the Ogbaru Main Market has commenced a weekly sanitation exercise every Thursday within and around the market.

During the exercise monitored by journalists, traders were seen sweeping, desilting drainages, gathering waste and loading debris into a hired tipper truck for proper disposal.

Speaking with journalists, the President-General of the market, Chief Ndubuisi Patrick Ochiogu, said the weekly sanitation exercise, in addition to the regular monthly exercise, was introduced to protect the market from flooding and other environmental hazards.

According to Chief Ochiogu, the sanitation drive started immediately after he assumed office but was later fixed for Thursdays because of the strategic location of the market and in alignment with Governor Soludo’s vision of making Anambra a clean and healthy state.

Chief Ochiogu, popularly called the “Obata Ife-adi of Ogbaru Main Market” by traders, said one of his key achievements since assuming office was the desilting of all drainages within and around the market to prevent flooding from destroying traders’ goods, as had previously been the case.

“Our market is now well secured, especially against flooding. Recently, reports showed that several markets were submerged by flood, but Ogbaru Main Market was not affected. By God’s grace, it will not happen here. We have made it a duty to clean the market environment, both inside and outside, every Thursday and to desilt all drainages,” Chief Ochiogu said.

He added that the weekly sanitation exercise would remain in force throughout his tenure, stressing that traders can now rest assured that their goods will not be destroyed by flooding during the rainy season.

The market leader urged all traders to continue to observe proper sanitation practices in line with the directive of the Anambra State Government.

Also speaking, Mrs. Chika Umeh, who is in charge of waste disposal, confirmed that all drainage channels in the market had been opened, desilted and cleared to ensure the free flow of water.

The Assistant Secretary of the market, Chief Bucknor Agu, commended Chief Ochiogu for the initiative, describing it as a lasting solution to flooding and poor sanitation in the market. He praised the traders for complying with the directive and urged other markets in erosion-prone areas to adopt similar measures.

Also, the Financial Secretary of the market, Mr. Uchenna Ndubuisi, described Chief Ochiogu as a blessing to Ogbaru Main Market, noting that previous administrations had not implemented such a practice.

He recalled that traders used to suffer huge losses as a result of flooding until Chief Ochiogu’s administration addressed the problem.

He therefore called on the traders to support the leadership by participating actively in the sanitation exercise.