By Micheal Eyibio in Yenogoa
The Permanent Secretary, Ecological Project Office (EPO), Mr. Shehu Ibrahim, has expressed satisfaction over the level of on-going remediation works at the shoreline protection and reclamation project at Emadike, Ogbia Local Government Area (LGA) of Bayelsa State.
The facility, the Permanent Secretary, said is historic as it will positively impact on the communities within and around Bayelsa.
Ibrahim, stated this during an inspection tour of some projects in Bayelsa during the week.
According to him, Emadike project is one of the ecological intervention efforts of the Federal Government through the Ecological Project Office to tackle the coastal and flooding challenges in the community in order to meet the yearnings of the people .
The Permanent Secretary applauded President Muhammadu Buhari, for timely approving the intervention for the community.
According to him, “This is the kind of intervention President Buhari, likes as it impacts the community directly.
“I am also impressed with how the community organized itself in terms of having the youth and vigilante vanguards to maintain and secure the facility.” The EPO boss, said.
Ibrahim, informed that the perennial floods which had taken its toll on the community and its surroundings over the years came to an end in 2022 with the award of the contract for the project.
He said that through the citing of the project in Emadike, the community is now a safe haven for shelter to neighouring communities during the rainy seasons.
The scope of the project include a 850metre shoreline protection using the sheet pile method to tackle the ocean surge and a 16 hectare land reclamation using sand filling to arrest the flood erosion that devastated the community .
At an earlier event, the Group President of Azikel Group Ltd, Dr Azibapu Eruani, and the Project Contractor had said that the physical presence of the Permanent Secretary for the on-the spot inspection to the project site was a demonstration of the importance of the project and the commitment of the Ecological Project Office in achieving its mandate.
He disclosed that the intervention has addressed two significant areas of protecting the community coastal borders and also preventing flooding.
He further said the Emadike project is, “A testament of a project that was sited, executed, visited and being put to use”, adding that the community is very grateful to the federal government and the Ecological Project Office for the intervention.
Explaining the scope of the project and levels of work attained so far, the consultant to the project, Engr. Ebipamowe Wodu of Toru- Ebi Konsult , said the contractor had met all the specifications of the contract and guaranteed that the life span of work done would last for over 25 years.
The Chairman of the Community Development Council (CDC), Mr Johnson Jeremiah, thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for “doing such a great job for the community and surprised Bayelsans”. He also said, we thank Buhari for removing us from flood”.
The PS was also at Tombia to inspect on-going shoreline protection in Tombia and Agudama Communities in Yenagoa Local Government Area of the State. He expressed displeasure over the slow pace of work at the site and gave the contractors a three week ultimatum to meet up on the timelines of the project. He promised to revisit the site to ensure compliance.
He was accompanied by Directors of the Office, Mr Clinton Igwe, (Pollution Control), Abubakar Takuma, (Soil Erosion and Flood Control), Haruna Bello, (Drought Desertification and Coastal Management) and Yakubu Habu, (Special Duties).
Signed: Eno Olotu,
Dep Director, Press and Public Relations