FG hands over erosion, flood control project to Enugu govt

The Federal Government on Friday inaugurated and handed over the Obinagu/Akpulu/Enugueze-Umunneobagu soil erosion and flood control project to the Enugu State government

The project executed through the Ecological Fund Office was awarded in 2010 to Nostro Ventures Ltd.

Inaugurating the project, the Secretary to Government of the Federation, Mr Babachir Lawal said that the project inherited by the current administration had suffered undue delay.

Lawal, who was represented by the Director-General of Voice of Nigeria, Mr Osita Okechukwu, said that the difficulty of the terrain and unbridled corruption were part of the challenges prior to its completion late 2016.

Lawal said that the completion of the project was a clear proof to the commitment of the current administration to finish all abandoned projects by previous administrations.

He said that the project was among the 15 ecological projects in the South East initiated by the Federal Ministry of Environment and inherited by the current administration.

“It could be said that without President Muhammadu Buhari’s onslaught against corruption this inauguration and handover may not be taking place today,” he said.

Lawal called on the benefiting communities to guard the project jealously by ensuring that the drainages were not used as refuse dump sites.

The contractor, Mr Uche Usuwa said that the contract was awarded to his company in 2010 but actual work began in 2011.

Usuwa said that the major work was for flood and erosion control as well as construction of drainage systems.

He said that part of the work also included asphalting of the roads up to 19 km, adding that lack of funds was a major setback in the execution of the job.

He said that the impact of erosion and flooding in the communities were much, saying that if further work was not done in the nearest future the community may be swept away.

Usuwa called on the Federal Government to split the remaining jobs in phases, adding that the work needed up to phase three to get the communities free from the threat.