Erosion control: Delta State pays N500m counterpart fund

Vanguard reports that Delta State Government has released N500 million as part of its counterpart fund for the World Bank assisted Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project, NEWMAP.

According to Vanguard, the fund is complementing the $2 million approved and released for Delta State by the World Bank from the $500 million approved for erosion control in Nigeria.

This came as the government performed the ground breaking ceremony for the building of a multi-million naira ultra-modern mechanic village in Asaba as part of its resolve to keep the state capital clean.

Vanguard reports that the Delta State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. John Nani, while speaking when he led a team of World Bank and NEWMAP officials around some erosion sites in the state, said the project was aimed at rehabilitating and protecting erosion prone areas across the state.

Lamenting the deplorable state of the over 3,000 erosion sites, he reiterated the resolve of the state government to do all it could to tackle erosion problem in some parts of the states.

Acting National Project Coordinator, NEWMAP, Ruth Peter Mishellia, disclosed that the project, which was earmarked for 19 states in the country, was at present focusing on seven states including, Abia, Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi, Delta, Imo and Edo states, Vanguard reports.

Erosion sites inspected included Nkwu-Nzu and Obomkpa in Aniocha South Local Government Area, Ubulu-Uku with a spur into Onicha-Uku and Onicha Ugbo in Aniocha North, and Owantan Road, Agbor in Ika North-East which was certified for emergency review.

Vanguard reports that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, while performing the groundbreaking ceremony for the  ultra- modern mechanic village, said his government was out to build a better and organised city in the state through partnership with private investors.

Okowa said: “Delta State Government alone cannot fund all the physical projects we are embarking on, we will continue to partner with the private sector to see how our people will get good dividends of democracy.”

Source: Vanguard