- Approves Amachai, Ogbeozoma Gully Erosion Design Implementation
- Okays N1bn For NEWMAP
Delta State Government has charged drivers of government policies and programmes and contractors to work in line with the goals of the MORE Agenda and contractual obligations respectively, so as to ensure sustainable development of all parts of the state, saying that contractors should endeavour to meet up with projects’ stipulated time-lines.
The State Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Ejiro Tommy Jamani, gave the charge, when he presided over a joint meeting of Steering/Technical committees of Delta State Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP )/ European Investment Bank (EIB), in his office in Asaba.
Jamani, who presided over the presentation of implementation performance report of the project by the State Project Coordinator, Mr. Benedict Nwaokocha, in furtherance of continuous quality improvement assessment of the project, gave approval for the engagement of Zutari Engineering Nigeria Limited, to do the requisite engineering and consultancy designs of the catastrophic gully erosions in Amachai/Ogbeozoma and Vanguard Quarters in Okpanam community, within the Delta State Capital Territory.
The meeting, presided over by the Environment Commissioner, also gave approval for the engagement of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Procurement, Resettlement Action Plan (RAP), Catchment Management Plan (CMP), Baseline Studies, Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) consultancy firms.
The Commissioner and Chairman, Steering Committee of the Project, in company of the ministry’s Permanent Secretary and Chairman, Technical Committee of the Project, Dr. (Mrs.) Minnie Oseji, said the state government, under the MORE Agenda of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration, has decided to prioritize Amachai/Ogbozoma, Vanguard Area, Ubulu-Uku and Jesse gully erosion and flood sites in order of severity for intervention.
According to him, “the state government has placed Amachai/Ogbeozoma and Vanguard Area as top in its list of priority sites, within the State Capital Territory requiring immediate intervention due to the severity of the two sites”.
He said the Governor Oborevwori’s administration was focused to continue with the NEWMAP project in the state, having seen the successes recorded in its Phase One, had given approval for the release of N1 billion (one billion naira) as counterpart funding for the second phase of the assisted European Investment Bank (EIB) project in the state.
While charging representatives of NEWMAP Line Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to scale up and replicate NEWMAP’s best practices in their MDAs, Hon. Jamani commended Governor Oborevwori for sustaining the project, which was initiated by his predecessor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa.
The State Project Coordinator of NEWMAP, Mr. Benedict Nwaokocha, in a power-point presentation, reviewed the Phase One success stories of the project, saying the Phase Two of the Project – under the Delta State Government and assisted by the European Investment Bank (EIB) was aimed at improving the infrastructural and socio-economic development of the state.
