The Minister of State for Education, Professor Anthony Anwuka has called for joint efforts towards preventing and reclaiming lands from erosion across the country.

The Minister made the call yesterday during the official commissioning and handover ceremony of flood and erosion control project executed by the federal government through the Ecological Fund Office, around Ochanja Market Onitsha, the commercial city of Anambra state.

Professor Anwuka who noted that the federal government’s execution of projects across the country is a demonstration of the sincerity of purpose of the Buhari led administration towards entrenching justice, equity and fairness in the country, commended the Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano and people of Onitsha South for providing a rancor-free environment during the course of the project execution in the area, and implored communities that benefited from the scheme to avoid indiscriminate dumping of refuse in drainages for its sustenance.

Governor Obiano, who was represented by his Deputy, Dr. Nkem Okeke while commending the Member Representing Onitsha South Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Barrister Lynda Ikpeazu for attracting such laudable project in the area, called on other members of the state who occupy one position or the other at the national level to assist the state government in the development of the state by attracting projects from the Federal level.

On her part, Barrister Ikpeazu thanked the Ecological Fund Office for giving consent to the project’s proposal, and encouraged people of the area to reciprocate the gesture by protecting and keeping the drainages clean and refuse free, urging the Local Government leadership to provide waste bins at strategic places in the area for easy disposal of refuse by residents.

The Permanent Secretary, Ecological Fund Office, Dr. Habiba Lawal disclosed that the project is one of the thirteen ecological intervention projects approved by President Buhari for the fourth quarter of 2017 and was awarded by the Federal Executive Council, FEC, on forth May, 2018, to arrest the continuous erosion menace and improve access road in the area.

In a remark, the contractor that handled the project, Engr. Nurudeen Abdulkareem disclosed that the project involved desilting of one thousand, two hundred and sixty- eight existing channels, reclaiming of swampy area at Ezimmuzor street of about two hundred meters stretch in length, and construction of roads totaling three thousand, twenty nine meters with total length of drains of five thousand, one hundred and seventy-one meters.

Speaking on behalf of the residents, the Chairman, Onitsha South Landlords Association, Fegge, Chief Mike Ojiako appreciated the Honourable Member for such intervention which he said has reduced the dangers posed to lives and property of residents in the area by the erosion and persistent flooding, praying God to bless and keep her. (Nigerian Tribune)

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