Ekiti State Government has cleared the air on the status of the four persons that died during the week at Egbe Dam in Gbonyin Local Government Area of the state. It stated that the victims were neither World Bank officials nor staff of Ekiti State government.
In a statement on Friday in Ado-Ekiti by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, the government said though the Third Urban Water Sector Reform Project was sponsored by the World Bank, the contract for the bathymetry surveying of the dam was awarded to
Enviplan Nigeria Limited, which staff were involved in the unfortunate incident. It stated that the company was to work on Ureje, Egbe, Itapaji and Ero dams.
”The sad incident happened because some safety measures were not adhered to by the deceased who refused to wear life jackets and those who survived wore life jackets provided by the company. The victims are staff of Enviplan Nigeria Limited which is a consulting firm to the World Bank.
“The victims are Alaran Tirimisiyu, Abdulwaheed Alayande, David Malu and Albert, while the survivors are Charles Ehinlaye, Bukky Ajet and Yahaya. It should be noted that no World Bank official or Ekiti State Water Corporation staff was involved.
“The Third Urban Water Project commiserates with the families of the departed and pray that God grants them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss,” the statement read in part.