Environment

FG tasks Kurudu residents to sustain reclamation of gully erosion projects in ravaged sites

Published

5 years ago

April 17, 2019

The Federal Government has urged the residents of Kurudu, (Phase 1), in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to ensure the maintenance and sustainability of the evacuation and reclamation of gully erosion ravaged sites.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ecological Funds Office(EFO), Dr Habiba Lawal, gave the charge during the inauguration of the project after its completion on Wednesday in Abuja.

According to her, the projects were initiated in response to requests for urgent intervention forwarded to the EFO by the Chairman of AMAC and the Army Post Service Housing Residents Association.

“The projects will arrest the continuous erosion menace, improve the access road as well as remove the eyesore caused by heaps of solid waste and also to avoid further environmental pollution.

“The hand over will enable the estate take over and exercise ownership of the projects to ensure its maintenance and sustainability”.

Lawal urged the residents to ensure that the resources which the Federal government has committed to the projects are sustained.

“We are using this opportunity to request that the cleared dump sites be used for development activities and not left vacant, to avoid further indiscriminate dumping of waste,” she added.

While handing over the project executed by the Ecological Funds Office (EFO) to the people of the community, the Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, also inaugurated the Gully Erosion Control and Road Improvement Works at the Post Service Estate, Phase 5 Road, also at Kurudu.

Adebayo said the projects were expected to check flooding, gully erosion menace and improve environmental hygiene and well-being of the people of the estate and its environs.

“The projects are among the Federal Government’s ecological intervention projects for the 4th quarter of 2017 and the 2nd quarter of 2018 as approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He said that the execution of ecological intervention projects across the country had demonstrated the sincerity of purpose of President Buhari’s administration in its efforts to promote justice, equity and fair play in the country.

“The project would address and control some of the challenges of flooding and erosion facing the people of the area.

“The Federal Government’s intervention projects are, therefore, intended to bring relief to the community, while reducing danger to lives and property, associated with erosion and persistent flooding,’’ he said.

He said the project underscored the Federal Government’s concerted efforts and sincerity in tackling environmental problems and making life more meaningful for the people.

News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the Federal Government also established an integrated solid waste management facility including auxilliary works in the area.

Maj. Gen. Mahe Bashir, the Chief Executive Officer of Post Service Housing Development Ltd said that because of the projects, the estate has begun to witness an influx of tenants.

“We thank the Federal Government for this project, while we still pray for more to come our way soon,”he added.

Mr Ezra Gomna, the District Head of Kurudu prayed to God to bless the present administration for coming to the rescue of the community.

“I really thank God for allowing the completion of this project and we appreciate the Federal Government’s efforts because this is what we have been hoping will come to fruition for a long time now”.(NAN)

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Environment

Akwa Ibom emerges Nigeria’s cleanest state for 4th times

Published

1 year ago

December 3, 2022

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

Akwa-Ibom state, one of the states in the south-south geopolitical zone, for the 4th consecutive time has emerged the cleanest state in the country followed by Ebonyi and Bauchi states respectively.

The Land of Promise state emerged Cleanest State for the year 2022 in Nigeria, with a cumulative score of 62% and the 2nd and 3rd States (Ebonyi 45% and Bauchi 44%)

The international Non-governmental organization known as the Clean-Up Nigeria CUN revealed that Performance indicators from the December 2021 to November 2022 studies Akwa ibom polled 54% to emerge the winner.

Also the reports showed that over 176.3million Nigerians are living in an unclean environment.

Speaking at the briefing in Abuja while presenting the clean-up Report the founder of Clean-up Nigeria Prince Ene Baba Owoh Jr. MON restated that there is a need to encourage alternative actions on personal hygiene/sanitation in order to ensure a cleaner, healthier and safer Nigeria for all and in the end make the world a better place to live.

According to him, 32 out of 36 States including the rest of FCT outside of Abuja City by our statistical study are rated as unclean States.

“Performance indicators from our studies show that over 176.3million Nigerians in 2022 are living in unclean environments, compared to 172 million in 2021.

“There has been no increase in the number of States with sanitary Landfills beside Lagos, Oyo, Abuja and Bauchi while the remaining 34 States operate open dumping. This development is not only alarming but clearly indicates lack of seriousness by governments at levels to key into the global best practices of waste modernization with related benefits.

“As our graphic chart statistics on monitoring/evaluation of the States have shown only 7 States (Akwa Ibom, Abuja, Cross River, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Lagos and Kaduna) who scored above 10% out of the 30% on the streets/roads cleanliness indicators have clean Roads in the country.

“It is imperative to know that the year 2022 study has the input of 70% satellite monitoring with the applied performance indicators early stated to score across board the ratings of States/Cities on their Cleanliness Performance.

“On personal hygiene and sanitation only four States (Akwa Ibom, Plateau, Cross River and Abuja City) scored above 4% of the 15% and can be said to come close to possession of good personal hygiene/sanitation practices in the country.

In his remark after receiving the Second best state Commissioner, Ebonyi State Ministry of Environment who also doubles as the Commissioner for Grant and Donor Agencies, Hon (Dr) Richard Nnabu appreciated the clean-up Nigeria for the diligent work that will take Nigeria to better heights.

He called on the government at all levels not to relent in creating awareness to the general public to make our environment a better and safer place for all.

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