Flooding: I Will Address Devastating Effects Of Erosion, Flooding In Niger Delta –Buhari

By Matthew Ogune, Abuja
The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, has pledged the present administration commitment to addressing environmental hazards such as the devastating effects of erosion and flood menace in communities across the nine Niger Delta states.

He said this at the commissioning and handing over of the Ondo Township Erosion Control Works, in Ondo State on Tuesday 26th January, 2021.

Represented by the Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Omotayo Alasoadura, Buhari stated: “This project underscores the Federal Government concerted effort and sincerity of purpose in tackling problems of its citizens and making life more meaningful for the people of this great nation.”

According to him, the project would enhance and improve the health status, socio-economic activities and the general well-being of the people of the community and Niger Delta Region at large.

Buhari further stated that the commissioning and handing over of the project will offer the community an opportunity to take ownership of the project in ensuring its security, maintenance and sustainability.

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He called on people of the community to see the project as theirs, jealously guard it and ensure that it is adequately preserved, adding that the communities should also prevent the abuse of the project such as filling the drainage channels with debris and refuse that could lead to another flooding or erosion.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary Ecological Fund Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), Dr. Habiba Lawal, represented by the Director, Soil Erosion and Flood Control, Mr. Mathias Eluma, Ecological Fund Office (OSGF), said that the project was initiated through a request by the Ondo Town Community Development Union for an urgent intervention and forwarded to their office in order to arrest the continuous erosion and flood menace in the community.

According to him, the commissioning and handing over of the project to the community is expected to achieve the dual purpose of enabling the host community to take over and exercise ownership over the project, to ensure its care and sustainability adding that “the resources which the Federal Government had committed to the project must not be allowed to waste.”

The Permanent Secretary, while expressing his profound appreciation to the Federal Government, Minister of State, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, the State Governor and the Paramount Ruler of Ondo Kingdom enjoined all members of the Ondo Community to guard the project and ensure that the water channels are not misused by indiscriminate dumping of refuse in them.

The Paramount Ruler, Osemawe of Ondo Kingdom, Oba Victor Kiladejo in his speech, acknowledged the importance of the project to the entire community and the well being of people as perennial problem of erosion and flood is finally tackled.

According to him, “before the implementation of this project most of the houses in this area were already destroyed by erosion, hence the leadership of this community took the initiative to request for this project.”

Oba Victor expressed his appreciation to the Federal Government and the Government of Ondo State for intensifying efforts in ensuring that the project commenced at the appropriate time and concluded at a very short time, he assured the community that the Federal and State Governments would always assist them at all times.