In its commitment to mitigate the incidence of floodings, the Nigeria Erosion and watershed Management project (Newmap) has finalized arrangements to distribute hundreds of life jackets to residents of Ganaja , a flood prone area of Lokoja metropolis of kogi state.
The State Project Coordinator of Newmap, Dr. Yahaya Abdullahi Abbas made the disclosure on Wednesday when the leadership of Concern Parenthood Initiative supported by project funders, Heinrich Böll Stiftung and Arctic Infrastructure, as part of the second phase of the Ganaja Charter of Demands advocacy project, visited him in his office in Lokoja.
Dr. Yahaya Abdullahi Abas stated that the Agency has procured hundreds of life jackets waiting for the distribution ceremony adding that he was motivated to procure life jackets to mitigate the burden and hazards of riverine communities during flooding .
The Project Coordinator hinted that the effect of floodings on the main road at Ganaja village has been a source of worry to him, hence , he has completed all necessary paperwork and have received commitment from the bank and state government approval only waiting for the funding to drop to commence the construction of an alternative Nyamanyama road linking 500 hundred Housing Units.
He assured that when the funds is available, the Agency would commence work in earnest noting that the other items in the charter of demands such as construction of IDP camp for flood victims and provision of boreholes are outside his mandate, but assured of lobbying the State Executive Council to make it a budgetary items for ease of accessing approval for implementation.
Dr Abbas added that relevant Government Ministries such as Ministry of Health, Environment, Water Resources and Bureau of lands would be contacted to prioritize the construction of permanent IDP camps and to ensure that victims of floods are properly reintegrated into the society.
According to him, ” My Newmap is an intervention Agency. We have our laid out schedule. Whatever we intends to do must be approved by the state government although it is a World Bank Agency, we must secure the approval of the Government before we can carry out the project.
” We normally prioritize friendship in area of needs. I’m so passionate in ameliorating the sufferings of people in Ganaja during flooding. When flood occured , the only main road would be submerged leaving the people and travellers on that axis stranded. I have make the case with the Governor Ododo and he has given his nod. We have written correspondences to the bank for funding which has been graciously approved. The Engineering designs have been done and we are waiting for the dropping of the funds. When it does, we will commence construction work. The Nyamanyama road link the community to 500 housing Unit a distance of seven kilometers. It is a huge amount, but I can assure when the money drops it will be done , although the exact date is not known , but it will be to long years” He promised.
He commended CPI and the Working Group for partnering with him and assured to sustain the relationship for the good of the society.
Earlier, the Executive Director, Concern Parenthood Initiative, Eunice Abimbola Agbogun, said, the visit was a follow up of the first phase of the advocacy where their charter of demands were presented for consideration.
She commended Newmap for the mutual working relationship and urged for speeding up the commitment as the flooding is about to set in.
