KGSG signs multi - billion Naira contract for gully stabilisation, reclamation, channelling and remediation »

Kogi State government has today, Monday, signed a multi – billion Naira Contract for work on the gully erosion stabilisation, reclamation, channelling and remediation to mitigate environmental challenges being faced in the state.

Performing the contract signing in Lokoja, the Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello said the environment was important to the socioeconomic lives of any society, hence his determination to support all such projects through prompt payment of counterpart funds.

The contract project which is under the auspices of the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) covers the dreaded Agassa and Adumu Erosion sites in Okene and Olamaboro Local Government Areas respectively.

While commending the head of NEWMAP in the state for her dedication and demonstration of competence in the discharge of her duty, he also thanked all development partners locally and internationally for their swift responses to challenges being faced in the state.

He urged the contractors to expedite action by mobilising necessary resources to site to ensure timely completion of the projects.

In her own address, the head of NEWMAP in Kogi State, Barrister Ladi Jatto said the journey that led to the signing of the contract date back to May 2017 when the Governor launched the project in the state while the process of selection of contractors for civil works began in October 2018 through international competitive bidding process of the World Bank.

She gave the cost of the Agassa Erosion site to be at over ₦1.3 billion while that of Adumu cost over ₦2.6 billion and are to be handled by Nigerpet Structures Limited and Nael and Bin Harmal Hydro-export Limited/Hartland Nigeria Limited (NBBH).

She added that NEWMAP in the state awarded contract for Engineering Designs for eight other sites in the state last month, including Ugwolawo in Ofu LGA; Ogane – Aji in Dekina LGA and Ankpa Gully Erosion sites in Ankpa LGA.

Other gully erosion sites that also got government attention according to Barrister Jatto were that of Etahi in Okene LGA; Ozuri in Adavi LGA; Omigbo River Channelisation in Kabba – Bunu LGA as well as the greater Lokoja Water Scheme.

The rest, according to her, were the Afor Gam – Gam site in Ankpa and the permanent site of the Federal University in Felele, Lokoja.

Barrister Jatto, who applauded the Governor for his concern for the environment, intimated him that contact for other areas of concern to the Governor have been receiving necessary attention, stressing that Kogi faced environmental problems because of its unique location.

Speaking, the contractors expressed their readiness to mobilise to site on time to ensure speedy job delivery.