As part of its effort to address the menace of erosion, Kano State Government has made payment of N500m as Counterpart Funding to to the Nigerian Erosion and Watershed Management Project ( NEWMAP).
Kano State Governor Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje disclosed this today at the official Commissioning and handing over ceremony of Gandu -Tukun tawa – Zoo road Erosion and Flood Control Project executed by the Federal Government at Municipal/ Kumbotso Local Government Areas.
Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje represented by his Deputy Dr. Nasiru Gawuna maintained that the move was part of the collective engagement between the Federal Government and World Bank to check issues connected with environmental degradation.
Ganduje added that in complementing the effort of the Federal Government to address erosion and floods, the Present administration had also constructed 65no of drainage across the 44 local government areas of the State and ensured sustenance of annual clearance of major and minor drainage to avert threat of flood in the State.
” to this end, Kano State Government employed over 1000 Sanitation Vanguards for effective implementation of Public health laws in the State plus the 100 Forest Guards being employed by the State to manage forest formation “
On the erosion Control Project which was commissioned by the Minister of State for labour and employment Professor Stephen Oceni, Dr. Ganduje said ” I am aware that the Project which is part of the Federal Government intervention being funded and executed by the Ecological Fund Office aims to address flood challenges targeted towards improving the socio- economic well being of the community “
In line of the subsequent development, the Governor continued ” our administration had purchased 86o of refuse collection tippers at the cost of N1.4b for sustained refuse evacuation under Refuse Management and Sanitation Board (REMASAB) as well as 2no Bull Dozers at the sum of N47, 475, 000.00 “
He further commended the Buhari’s administration for its vigorous pursuit towards the establishment of secondary effluent treatment at Challawa, Sharada and Bompai Industrial Estates and urged the people of the affected community to cherish this laudable project and safeguard it against indiscriminate dumping of refuse and other unwholesome act that would undermine its benefits.
Earlier, the Minister of State for labour and employment Professor Stephen Oceni said the project was one of the ecological intervention projects approved by Mr. President to check the erosion menace and flooding as well as to improve the environmental condition of the areas after years of untold hardship and neglect.
” the cardinal objective of this administration is also hinged on addressing the infrastructural deficit which Ecological Fund Office is equally complementing and pursuing with all vigour especially in tackling ever growing ecological and environmental Challenges across the Country ” he stated.
According to the Minister, the situation before the intervention was unpleasant to say the least in terms of destruction of lives and property aside of recurring epidemic and flood disaster on yearly basis due to the volume of the runoff and lack of capacity of the drainage to accommodate pressure resulting from structural inadequacies.
