Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has fulfilled the conditions of the European Investment Bank Assisted Project for the rehabilitation of gully erosions in Delta State.
The National Project Coordinator of the Nigeria Climate Change Adaptation Erosion and Watershed Project (NEWMAP-EIB), Mr. Anda Ayuba-Yalaks, disclosed this when he led the Project Team to assess the Amachai/Ogbozoma and Vanguard Area Erosion Rehabilitation Sites in readiness of Delta State towards the commencement of the EIB donor agency Project in Nigeria.
Mr. Yalaks, who was in company of the State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Ejiro Tommy Jamani and State Project Coordinator of NEWMAP-EIB, Mr. Benedict Nwaokocha, described the two sites visited as classical cases of active and aggressive sites that are really gullies and active in nature.
“These are classical cases of active and aggressive sites that are really gullies and active in nature. If care is not taken and no solution provided before the end of this raining season, we should be sure this building here will cave in”, said NEWMAP boss.
The NPC, noted that the active sites have met the major conditions for the selection of sites for intervention – for it poses threat for infrastructural investment; human and socio-economic lives of the people in the affected community.
According to him, the checklist and the field assessment of the Project in the state have made Delta State one hundred percent disbursement ready to access the funds of the EIB project.
“So, as far as we are concerned, some of the major conditions for the selection of a site has to do with its activeness; it must affect infrastructural investment; threat to human life and effect on the socio-economic life of the affected community.
“You can see – there was a road; the road has been cut-off and so, this community has been separated; they have to take around to get across to their neighbours’ side. So, basically, these two sites have met all the conditions as regard to site selection.
While assuring the residents of the project’s readiness for implementation, as April, 2025 has been earmarked for official launch of the project nationwide at Abuja by the Honourable Minister for Environment, Mr. Yalaks appreciated Governor Oborevwori, for the payment of one billion naira (N1,000,000,000) counterpart funding that qualified the state to participate in the donor agency project.
The State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Ejiro Jamani, said there was no denying the fact that the electioneering promises of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, towards a sustainable environment for the people of Delta State was beginning yielding positive results.
He said the governor has brought succour to Okpanam community for the prioritization of the two erosion sites through the payment of one billion naira counterpart funding of the projects and three hundred million naira for its engineering designs.
The Environment Commissioner, however, called on the people to support the MORE agenda mantra of the state government and cooperate with would-be contractors that will work in their domain.
The State Project Coordinator of NEWMAP-EIB, Mr. Benedict Nwaokocha, expressed the readiness of Delta State towards the partnership project of the European Investment Bank to commence implementation as soon as the donor agency release disbursement for the project.
The Assistant Secretary of Amachai Landlords Association, Bro. Israel Ohwevwo, said it was a good thing that hope was coming to Amachai/Ogbozoma residents in Okpanam, saying Governor Sheriff Oborevwori was begun justifying the confidence reposed in him by Deltans during his electioneering campaigns.
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Lucky Ejobotodo Oyibo
Communication Officer
Delta State NEWMAP-EIB
