Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has declared a state of emergency on the environment, warning that gully erosion, flooding and land degradation pose an existential threat to the state.

Soludo made the declaration on Thursday in a statewide broadcast in Awka as Anambra marked its 35th anniversary of statehood.

The governor said the anniversary should serve as a call to action towards building a healthier, more liveable and prosperous Anambra.

He identified environmental degradation as the state’s “number one existential threat”, while noting that his administration had recorded progress in tackling insecurity since assuming office.

As part of the renewed response, Soludo unveiled a Clean and Green Initiative, which is designed to strengthen environmental protection through community participation and individual responsibility.

The governor urged residents to take practical steps, including planting trees, avoiding indiscriminate waste disposal, protecting drainage channels and keeping their surroundings clean.

He said erosion and flooding had already destroyed homes and farmlands across the state, stressing that government could not tackle the challenges alone.

“Let us choose green. Let us choose the future,” the governor said.

Soludo also called for a shift from what he described as “concrete jungles” towards a greener Anambra with more trees, clean waterways and communities protected from erosion and flooding.

The governor’s wife, Dr Nonye Soludo, also congratulated Anambra residents on the 35th anniversary, praising their resilience, enterprise, courage and commitment to the state’s development.

She expressed hope for an Anambra where children could pursue their dreams, families could thrive and communities could look towards the future with confidence.