Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has described erosion as an environmental menace which ought to be given urgent attention because of its threat to life and property.
Governor Ikpeazu who stated this when he commissioned a gully erosion remediation in Umuagu-Ibeku and the 5.8 kilometer Umuda-Isingwu/Amafor/Ossah-Ibeku road,commended the state Ministry of Environment and Nigerian Environmental Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) for completing the projects within a record time of ten months.
He said that the execution of the projects would go a long way in giving the people of the area a sense of belonging and improving economic productivity in the state.
Ikpeazu said that the project was an indication of the state government’s commitment to deliver the dividends of democracy to Abia people at all levels.
In his speech,the Commissioner for Environment,Dr Aham Uko said that the gully erosion remediation and road construction projects cost the sum of N3.45bn adding that the projects were done with the assistance of the World Bank ,while the state government provided the counterpart fund.
While noting that Umuagu Ibeku was very devastated by gully erosion resulting from several environmental degradation activities taking place around the area,Uko pointed out that the 5.8 kilometer Umuda-Isingwu/Amafor/Ossah-Ibeku road is a major feeder road linking the entire Ohuhu community and Bende Community to the express road of Ossah Ibeku.
The Project Manager of NEWMAP in Abia state,Mr Izuchukwu Onwughara in his address said that the project was facilitated through the assistance of the World Bank and the payment of N350million counterpart fund by the Abia state government.
Representative of the Umuada-Isingwu community,Mr Ezeocha Ezeagbara in his remarks, thanked the state government for its prompt response to the need of the community.
Ezeagbara said that members of the community were delighted with the efforts of Abia state government to boost infrastructural development in the area.
