The Katsina state government has commenced the construction of Phase 1 urban drainage networks for Jibia, Katsina, Malumfashi, and Funtua LGAs flood control in the state.
The project otherwise called emergency storm water and drainage sites was awarded at the sum of 23 billion naira.
Speaking during the handing over of the Jibia township storm water and drainage management project in Jibia, the state governor, Aminu Masari described the project as a long-awaited one.
He said the event is enough assurance that the state government has not slept over the sorrowful and horrific event witnessed of Sunday night July 15, 2018.
He recalled that “a few weeks ago I flag off the payment of compensation to all project affected persons to facilitate smooth implementation of the project under the Katsina state Newmap world Bank assisted.
” I can recall that during the Flood incident, an unprecedented heavy and windy downpour resulted in the massive flow of runoff of water into the Gada River thereby causing stagnation and build-up of stormwater in the minor drainages within Jibia town.
“The resulting catastrophe led to a total of 466 houses washed away, over 50 persons dead, over 300 domestic animals lost and household items including foodstuff worth over 2 billion Naira lost to the floods.
“The importance with which the present APC administration attached to the project saw to the recent flagged off of payment of compensations to all the project affected persons to facilitate smooth implementation of the project being handed over to the contractors at the event”.
Masari while thanking President Muhammadu Buhari for his personal and official concern and support to people of Katsina State in time of distress, urged the contractors and other stakeholders to ensure compliance with the terms of the agreement for smooth and successful implementation of the project.
In his remarks, the National Project Coordinator of the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project, (NEWMAP) Dr. Salisu Dahiru announced that of the 23 states being covered by the New map where Erosion is said to be the greatest ecological challenge in terms of cost and scope, no project is as big as the Jibia erosion and flood control project.
“Of all this 23 states, none of them right from the inception of the New map has been able to have four major erosion control sites namely design successfully, cleared by the World Bank, procurement process carried out successfully and all of them awarded simultaneously. No state has achieved this”.
“Again, this has been made possible because of the amount of cooperation and support that the project management unit has been receiving from the executive governor of the state”.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the state commissioner of environment, Hamza Faskari announced that Katsina state government had financed the development of the design for the Jibia township stormwater drainage and diversion project to the tune of over 662 million naira.
The advocacy tool, according to the commissioner succeeded in gaining the approval of the world bank to finance the first phase of the project, which is intended to provide Jibia township stormwater and drainage management system.
The four projects had a duration of 1-2 years completion period which when completed will address flooding in the affected project sites.
The highpoint of the ceremony was the flag off for the payment of compensation to the victims of the Sunday night July 15 2018 sorrowful flood incidence.
Source: Channels TV
