Governor Otti Assures Of Increasing Counterpart Funding To Tackle All Erosion Menace As Abia Meets Requirements For Newmap-EIB Funding

Abia State Governor, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, has assured that his administration is ready to increase its counterpart funding, if need be, to put an end to the menace of erosion in the State. The Governor gave the assurance on Tuesday, 26th November, when he received in audience the National Project Coordinator of Nigerian Climate Adaptation, Watershed Project (NEWMAP)–European Investment Bank funding, Engr. Anda Ayuba Yalaks and his Team who paid him a working visit in his Umuehim Nvosi country home, Isiala Ngwa South LGA.

Governor Otti explained that his administration considers the environmental impact of everything it does, saying that “some of our actions in the past are what we are paying for today.”

He informed the NEWMAP team that the State could not wait for them before swinging into action to arrest the ravaging impact of a gully erosion site at Ovom Street, Aba. It could be recalled that during his visit to the erosion site a few months back, the Governor saw the devastating impact of the ravaging erosion and ordered the immediate evacuation of residents around the area and the immediate engagement of experienced contractors to deal with the situation.

He noted that although the team had identified about 57 erosion sites in the State and prioritized 20 sites, the figures were understated because some erosion sites may not be very evident at the moment, but a closer look at them will help discover that they are disasters in the waiting.

“So, we can start with 20 for a start but we hope that you will come again so that we can nip some of these things in the board”.

“I can assure that if we require to set aside additional counterpart funding, we will do it. The difference in our own administration is that approval is equal to release. We do not approve when we don’t have the funding. As soon as we give the approval, we have the funding ready” the Governor assured.

He commended Engr. Ikechukwu Ukaegbu, the NEWMAP Project Coordinator in Abia State, for the great job he and his team are doing, which has prepared the State for the implementation of NEWMAP projects. He thanked the team for the endorsement it has given the State and assured them that the State will give them all the support that they will require as they carry out their assignment.

Earlier in his speech, the team leader and National Project Coordinator of NEWMAP Engr. Yalaks said that he and his team came to Abia State to access erosion sites and ascertain how ready Abia is, as one of the 23 States benefiting from the NEWMAP-EIB 175 million Euros erosion funding projects in Nigeria. He said that the project objective is to reverse land degradation, “be it flooding, erosion and land degradation in a targeted sub-watershed.” He said that the project has a duration of five years, effective from 2024.

Engr. Yalaks commended Governor Otti for approving and releasing the counterpart fund of 500 million Naira for the project, noting that he has demonstrated the highest political will to get Abia ready for the project.

“In Government, there would be approvals, but there are releases. But in this case, you have approved and released the sum of 500 million. We are grateful for that Your Excellency. Sir, permit me to inform you that under your able leadership and for what you are known to be, you have demonstrated the highest level of political will on this project and have secured Abia to have met all the conditions required. Congratulations your Excellency”

He described Governor Otti’s choice of the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) headed by Mr. Ikechukwu Ukaegbu as the best.
Engr. Yalaks said that the identified sites are active, expanding at an alarming rate, separating communities and threatening livelihoods. He stated that some of the basic causes of the problems are poor road designs and inadequate drainage systems. He called for more counterpart funding and continued community engagements for the citizenry to own the projects.

The Project Coordinator in Abia, Engr. IKechukwu Ukaegbu attributed their achievements to the Governor’s overwhelming support to ensure the readiness of the State for the projects.

In his vote of thanks, the Abia State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Philemon Ogbonna thanked Governor Otti for his intentional and enduring support to prepare the State for the NEWMAP-EIB funded projects. He also thanked the visiting National NEWMAP team led by Engr. Anda Ayuba Yalaks for doing a thorough Job in their assignment of accessing the State’s readiness for NEWMAP-EIB and for confirming that the State is fully prepared having met the requirements for the project.

The NWEMAP-EIB engineering and environmental consultants were all part of the visit.

Ctz. UKOHA NJOKU UKOHA
Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Governor of Abia State.
26-11-2024.