Dateline__ 30th August 2018: Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State commissioned three projects executed by the Enugu State Project Management Unit of the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP). The projects commissioned were the 9thMile Erosion Site, Ajali Water Works Erosion Site and the Enugu NEWMAP permanent modern Office Complex in preparation for the project transformation to an Agency.
Speaking at the occasion, The Minister of State for Environment, Alhaji Ibrahim Usman Jibril, commended the efforts of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration in sustaining the set objectives of the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) in tackling ecological challenges in the country the Minister who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Bolatito Obisesan, thanked the state government “for bringing succor and big relief” to the benefiting communities, also expressed delight that the Enugu NEWMAP has recorded the remarkable achievements in tackling the issues of gully erosion in the state.
The Minister maintained that “all these gains would not have been achieved without the synergy, commitment and collaboration of the state government”, stressing: “This is important and has immensely contributed to the achievements of the project’s objectives of reducing the vulnerability caused by erosion and land degradation”.
Inaugurating the projects, Gov. Ugwuanyi, who was elated with the completion of works at the erosion sites by the State Project Management Unit (SPMU) of the agency, noted that it will not only guarantee continuous water reticulation and a significant improvement in water supply to the entire Enugu metropolis but also remove the threat that gully erosion had posed to lives and property of people around the 9th Mile area”.
The governor disclosed that his administration had made available the sum of N500 million to demonstrate the political will to qualify for Additional Finance Programme of the World Bank, and has equally approved “Anyazurum Ohom-Orba, Onuiyi-Nsukka and Enugu-Ngwo gully erosion sites as priority sites of this administration”.
