. Meets NEWMAP, stakeholders in Urora, Gapiona
By Valentine Amanze, Online Editor
The Edo State government and the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) on Thursday met with community leaders and other stakeholders from Urora and Gapiona in Benin City to seek the collaboration and support of the communities in ensuring the speedy completion of erosion control projects in the areas.
The Commissioner for Environment and Sustainability and Chairman, Edo State NEWMAP Steering Committee, Mr. Alex Oleije, gave the assurance at the one-day training and sensitisation programme for stakeholders.
He urged the benefiting communities to cooperate with the contractors handling the erosion projects in the areas to ensure speedy completion.
Oleije said that the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led state government is committed to tackling flooding in the state to alleviate the suffering of the people.
The commissioner said that the government would not relent on its efforts at alleviating the plight of its citizens in flood-prone areas, noting that all those whose property were affected in the course of the project had been compensated.
The project coordinator, Edo NEWMAP, Mr. Tom Obaseki, said that it became necessary to engage the communities and stakeholders where the projects would be sited to ensure cooperation that would lead to a successful completion of the projects.
He assured the people of Gapiona and Urora on the completion of the project, as the state government through Edo NEWMAP would guarantee their safety by providing world-class infrastructure to tackle the problem of flooding in a sustainable manner.
His words: “I expect that by the time we are through with the projects, gully erosion would be successfully checked, while affected areas would be reclaimed.
“Twelve erosion sites are being addressed in the state simultaneously and this is not obtainable anywhere in the country. In the first phase of our intervention, we have successfully addressed the Oshiobugie flood in Auchi as well as those in Ekenwan and Queen Ede erosion sites in Benin City. Every project we have in Edo NEWMAP is an Edo State government project.”
On his part, chairman of Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area, Mr. Eric Osanyande, commended the Obaseki-led administration for its determination to tackle erosion in the state.