*Urges Jama’are communities to take over ownership/maintenance of project
By Hillary Asemota
President Muhammadu Buhari, has inaugurated erosion control and rehabilitation projects in Toro LGA of Bauchi State even as he stressed that the Federal Government is committed to addressing environmental and ecological challenges across the country.
The projects, EXTRAORDINAIREnews, learnt include construction of 6.4 kilometre Rimin Zayam road, 45 metre Polchi and 30 metre Gwalfadako bridges executed by the Ecological Project Office (EPO), Abuja.
President Buhari, who was represented by the House of Representatives member, Toro Constituency, Mr. Umar Muda Lawal, assured that the projects would positively improve economic activities of the people in the area.
He said, the projects were expected to address the devastating effects of flooding, check erosion problems and reduce dangers to people’s lives along Rimin Zayam feeder road, Polchi and Gwalfadako river bridges.
President Buhari, explained that the completion of the projects underscored the federal government’s efforts and sincerity of purpose in tackling environmental problems as well as making life better to people of the community and the country at large.
Speaking at the event, the Director, Pollution Control Department, EP Office, Mr. Abubakar Takuma, who represented the Permanent Secretary, said the contracts for the phase 1 and 2 projects were awarded under the 2019 EPO’s projects following request by the Toro community and facilitated by the member representing the constituency.
Takuma urged the benefiting communities to take ownership and protect the projects against vandalism.
In his remark, the District Head of Toro, Alh. Umar Adamu, represented by the village Head of Tulai, appreciated the federal government, EPO, and the lawmaker.
He assured of the Office of the community’s readiness to take ownership of the projects for the development of the LGA and Bauchi State.
Meanwhile, the federal government has urged the people of Jama’are communities, Bauchi State to take over ownership and maintenance of the flood and erosion control project in the area.
President Buhari, gave the directive during the commissioning and handover ceremony of the projects.
While commissioning the project, the President, who was also represented by the Minister of state for Industry, Trade and Investment Amb. Maryam Katagum, said the project is one of the government’s intervention projects approved by the president for the first and second quarters, 2019.
The projects, according to him, were approved to address the perennial ecological challenges that bedeviled Jama’are, over the years.
He noted that the topography of Jama’are, with zero level slope made it susceptible to annual flood disasters and with the attendant erosion along the run-off courses thereby posing serious threat to farmlands, lives and properties.
President Buhari, explained that the completion of the project had underscored the federal government’s concerted effort and sincerity of purpose in tackling environmental problems in the country and making life more meaningful for the people.
He thanked the people for their cooperation and support accorded to the contractor which led to the successful execution and speedy completion of the project.
In a remark, the Director II Soil Erosion and Flood Control Department, Mr. Mathias Eluma, who also represented the Permanent Secretary, noted that the project was initiated through a request from the concerned indigenes and forwarded to the EP Office for an urgent intervention in the erosion and annual flooding that kept manifesting with damning consequences on the lives and properties of the inhabitants.
Eluma, also urged the benefitting communities to take over and exercise ownership of the project to ensure its maintenance and sustainability so that resources which the Federal government had committed to the project would not be allowed to waste.
The Governor of Bauchi state, Mr. Bala Muhammad, represented by his Deputy, Mr. Baba Tela, said the project was done out of the need of salvaging the vulnerable town of Jama’are from the menace of flood and erosion.
Geographically, he noted that Jama’are is close to the river which makes it prone to environmental degradation owing to river overflow.
He said that with the project, the fear of flooding with resultant loss of lives, destruction of houses and farm produce would be allayed, the economic activities would be boosted, and standard of living improved in the town.
The Governor commended the federal government for the intervention project and appealed for more intervention in other parts of Bauchi State which are prone to flood and erosion.
Speaking on behalf of the community, Alh. Ahmadu Mohammadu, the Emir of Jama’are, represented by Alh. Nuhu Ahmed, appreciated the EP Office, for the intervention through the projects.
He passionately appealed to the EP Office to visit other parts of the town and see some other environmental degradation challenges the communities are facing, citing the threat of Jama’are bridge to its users.
In a vote of thanks, the Chairman of Jama’are LGA, Mr. Samaila Yusuf Jarma commended the government for the project executed in their community and promised to protect and maintain the project.