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February 9, 2025
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Delta Pays #500 Million World Bank Counterpart fund for Erosion Control

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DELTA State Commissioner for Environment, Barrister John Nani has revealed that the state government has paid N500 million as it counterpart funding to the World Bank’s funds as a condition to access loans to address ecological problems in the state.

Barr. Nani dropped the hint in his office when he hosted a media parley with members of the Indigenous Correspondents’ Chapel (ICC) of the Nigerian Union of Journalists ( NUJ ), Delta State Council.
The Commissioner pointed out that what is to be accessed is not a grant but a loan that will be paid for, adding that, the loan is to enable the state government tackle the enormous ecological and challenges ravaging communities in the state. “We have a lot of ecological problems in the state, with the Medoma Street, Owanta being the most critical and that of Ndemili in Ndokwa West LGA.

“The Medoma street gully erosion in Owanta is where houses, including storey buildings are under heavy threats of being washed away by flood. Once there is rain, the people don’t sleep in their homes as a precaution against possible ecological accident that endangers life. Delta State has paid N500million as counterpart fund for the World Bank loan for ecological problems. It is a loan that the state government will pay back,” Nani said, stressing that the state government is not closing its eyes to ecological problems.
He added that the government of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa is on top of it, noting that, the state government has began moves to effectively tackle the the erosion challenges in the state.

Nani disclosed that the Akpaka Road flooding in Jesse, Ethiope East LGA is caused by the massive dredging and the operations of heavy duty vehicles carrying sharp sand. “Akpaka Road was not constructed to carry such heavy vehicles and their loads,” he said.

He blamed the issue of river dredging for sand on the insensitivity of the Federal Ministry of Environment that grants approval to dredgers without recourse to state governors for input as the ones the constitution vested the ownership of lands in their hands. “This creates problems between the communities who resist the takeover of their lands through litigations to protect their rights,” Nani stated.
On the Obu river that has overflowed its bank into the highway and endangering the life of motorists along the Ishiagu Road, Ogwashi-Uku, Aniocha South local government area, the Commissioner blamed the situation on the Ogwuahi-Uku Dam that was abandoned by the federal government.

He said the state government through the Ministry has been creating canals across the state to ease flooding in the state, explaining that, it was the reason why Orogodo River in Agbor can take boat transportation rides now, while the Anwai River has also been dredged and opened up to receive water without disturbing the communities around.

On the waste facility on Ibusa Road, Asaba, the Commissioner lamented that the contractor has not been diligent in working to put the facility to work at full capacity. “The contractor promised to complete it, but he is not working at full capacity. The contract term says he should take in 1,000 tons of waste, but currently he is taking in only five trucks of wastes, whereas he is supposed to be doing about 50 trucks daily,” he said.
Earlier in his address, the chairman of the Chapel commended the commissioner for being free of complaints and accusation of any wrong deals from any quarter since he came in to the ministry.

The Indigenous Correspondents’ Chapel Chairman however, drew the commissioner’s attention to the dangerous gully erosion that is almost tearing the Ndemili community in Ndokwa West local government area apart, saying “Something urgent should be done to save the situation

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