By Dele Ogbodo
The National Project Coordinator NEWMAP-EIB, Engr. Anda Ayuba Yalaks, has decried the state of erosion and land degradation in Abia state saying the sites are active and expanding at an alarming rate threatening the infrastructure, separating communities, affecting livelihoods and the people’s social cohesion.
Anda, made this observation when he led a 9-man delegation on a courtesy visit to the Executive Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, on Tuesday at his residence in Nvosi, Isiala-ngwa south LGA, Abia State.
NEWMAP-EIB, Communication Specialist, Madina Gertrude, in a statement, quoted the Project Coordinator that the FPMU team were in Abia State on the instance of the Governor in order to assess the state’s readiness towards effective disbursement and to meeting the conditions precedence towards attracting the funding from European Investment Bank.
According to him, the conditions precedence include amongst others: site identification, prioritize identified sites, availability of office accommodation, pool of qualified staff, equipped office, project operational vehicles and counterpart fund contribution etc.
Technically, he observed that some of the critical issues that led to the aggravation of soil erosion in the state are attributed to the nature of the soil, human and topogenic activities, sand mining , poor road designs with abrupt termination of drainages, deforestation, quest for livelihood amongst others.
“Abia State has a list of 52 sites identified but working with the guidelines on site selection criteria , the states have prioritized the sites that need urgent and emergency intervention to not leas then 20.
This according to the NPC is a welcome development. The sites selected are active, and expanding posing threat to infrastructure and life of the people.
He expressed gratitude to the Governor for making the visit possible and for taking the bold step in embarking on people’s oriented and developmental projects which are beneficial to the people of Abia.
“You have demonstrated a high level of political will on this project. And by so doing you have secured Abia State to meet all the conditions precedence required. Congratulations to you sir.” he said.
He also called on the project implementation unit (PIU) to engage in continuous community and citizens engagement to create awareness and to get the people’s buy-in and ownership of the project for the purpose of sustainability.
He however appealed to the governor to increase the counterpart fund contribution which will serve for compensation, office running cost, staff salaries and allowances.
He assured the Governor of the FPMU’s support to Abia NEWMAP-EIB in the restoration of degrades lands and bully erosions more especially in the Aba industrial city for the restoration of its lost glory and revolutionary the IGR of the state thereby restoring hope into the lives of the people in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Earlier in his submission, the governor lamented the impassable state of some of the roads linking other states to Abia and roads within the state applauding the earlier submission of the NPC on abrupt termination of drainages.
” If you don’t terminate your drainage appropriately, you are creating a problem that will surely happen. There are places around Arochukwu, Aba, etc.these are disasters waiting to happen. I am not a climate expert but I am interested” he said.
He assured the NEWMAP-EIB team of his cooperation and promised to make additional counterpart fund contributions available.
The State Project Coordinator, Ikechukwu Ukaegbu, in his remarks, thanked the governor for providing all the necessary support to the Abia NEWMAP-EIB team to enable it meet the conditions precedent for effective readiness.
“It is because of the magnanimity of the governor that all this is possible, we want to say thank you.”
In his vote of thanks the Abia State Commissioner for Environment , Philemon Ogbonna, commended the FPMU Team for proactiveness and moving swiftly to site on arrival, he also thanked the governor for receiving the team despite his busy schedule.
The mission led by the NPC includes senior management specialist at the FPMU, Commissioner for Environment, Abia State, State Project Coordinator Abia NEWMAP-EIB, staff of the SPIU, Engineering design consultants and Environmental and Social Management Plan Consultants.
