By Juliet Nnoje, Abeokuta
In its continued effort towards effective flood and erosion control across the State, the Prince Dapo Abiodun led adminstration has paid a counterpart fund contribution of Five Hundred Million Naira (₦500,000,000.00), which is one of the major criteria to assessing support fund from European Investment Bank for approved intervention sites in the Nigeria Climate Adaptation – Erosion and Watershed Project (NEWMAP-EIB).
The National Project Coordinator, NEWMAP-EIB, Engr. Ayuba Yalaks made this known in Abeokuta during an inspection tour to assess the level of readiness of Ogun State and to have an "on the spot assessment" of the project sites that had been captured for intervention.
The Federal Project Management Unit (FPMU) in company of the Ogun State Project Management Unit (SPMU) led by the National Project Coordinator inspected the Makalewo and Olorunsogo gully sites, both in Ijebu Ode Local Government area of the state, the Ojumele gully site in Sagamu Local Government and Ishakale gully site in Ado–Odo, Ota Local Government area of the state amongst others to determine the level of damages already caused by the erosion and proffer solutions.
Speaking with journalists after the inspection exercise, Engr. Yalaks assured the State of the needed support from the Federal Government and development partners in terms of the technical guidance and finance, affirming that Ogun State is hundred percent ready to commence operation.
He disclosed that the State has ticked the major criteria boxes to be considered ready as outlined by the European Bank, appreciating Ogun Government for not paying lip service to the project while pleading with the State to do more to support the project with additional finance if and when the need arises.
Receiving the team on behalf of the State Governor, Chief Economic Adviser to the Governor who doubles as the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Dapo Okubadejo and his counterparts from the Ministries of Environment, Dr. Ola Oresanya and that of Budget and Planning, Mr. Olaolu Olabimtan, appreciated the team for the visit, disclosing that payment of the counterpart funds revealed the commitment of the State to the project which would help to protect the residents against flood and erosion havocs.
‘’If other States fail to key into the project, Ogun will not, because the State is at the receiving end of the water coming from the upstream. Ogun State must be well prepared for the flood because if anything happens to Oyan Dam located on the longest tributaries to Ogun River, the impact would be so devastating to the communities downstream,” they affirmed.
On his part, State Project Coordinator of NEWMAP-EIB, Engr. Ismail Adenuga, appreciated NEWMAP-EIB team for having the people at heart and planning to fix the gullies saying, the coming of the federal team was a relief that the days of erosions and flood wrecking havocs in Ogun communities are numbered.
Some residents of the affected areas, Messrs Abiodun Olubajo, Banuso Oyeyinka, Abiodun Olaloko, Kayode Bello and Mrs. Funmilayo Egbeleye, all pleaded with government to come to their aid for normalcy to return through the proper channeling of the flood into appropriate streams to avoid loss of lives and property.
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