Ebonyi Approves N350 Million, Partners World Bank To Combat Flood and Erosion

Ignatius Okpara, Abakaliki

The sum of N350 Million has been approved by the Ebonyi State government as her contribution to the World Bank-assisted Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) to control flood and gully erosion in the state.

Governor, Martin Elechi, disclosed this on weekend in Abakaliki, the state capital during the official launch of the NEWMAP. He noted that the state had been seriously threatened by erosion and flood over the years.

Elechi pointed out that in the past few years, the erosion menace had wrecked devastating havoc to the state, including loss of lives, sack of villages and offices, destruction of homes, farmlands as well as public infrastructure. He applauded the World Bank for its gesture. “From inception of rainy season in April to September last year alone, the Ebonyi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) recorded 332,938 victims that were involuntarily displaced by flood. Studies also showed that the total economic loss caused by flooding and erosion problems in the last five years in the state has run into billions of naira, aside loss of lives”, the Governor lamented.

The Governor pointed out the state had signed the subsidiary agreement with the Federal Ministry of Finance, issued project implementation manual acceptance letter to the bank and legal opinion in respect of the project.

Elechi assured that his administration would work with all partners and stakeholders to actualize the aspiration for which NEWMAP was put in place.