Delta State Project Committee on the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) has requested for the sum of N1.3 billion as part of the state government’s counterpart funding for the smooth takeoff of the European Investment Bank (EIB) projects in the state.
EIB is an international donor intervention organisation which has taken over the structure of NEWMAP as it ends its first phase projects intervention in some states in Nigeria.
The state commissioner for environment and chairman, State Steering Committee on NEWMAP, Chief Godspower Asiuwhu, at the quarterly meeting of the Steering Committee, in Asaba said the task before the committee was urgent.
He said the takeover of the NEWMAP structure by the international donor organisation will ensure the completion of uncompleted projects and rehabilitation of new sites.
Asiuwhut said the NEWMAP project in the state has changed to EIB donor intervention project.
He said the recent technical mission of NEWMAP on the European Investment Bank at Abuja he attended with the state project coordinator, Mr. Benedict Nwaokocha, had revealed the readiness of the international donor organisation to partner in the erosion intervention project in Delta and other states in the country.
He said one of the steps he took on resumption of office was to acquaint himself with NEWMAP through the handover notes, visits to the NEWMAP Office in Asaba and three rehabilitated sites at Midoma/Iwerebor in Owanta, Ika North-East; Nkwu-Nzu rehabilitated erosion site in Nkwu-Nzu, and Obomkpa rehabilitated erosion site in Obomkpa, Aniocha North local government area, respectively.
While saying the project has done well in its first phase of intervention, Chief Asiuwhu called for team work and cooperation for successful project execution and future relationship.
Nwaokocha presented a review of the project in slides through the Project Implementation Completion Report (ICR) from the inception of the project in the state on 7th May, 2016 to 30th June, 2022.
He listed some of the achievements of the project within the six years of intervention in the state to include the rehabilitation of Midoma/Iwerebor erosion site, Owanta, Ika North East; rehabilitation of Nkwu-Nzu rrosion site, Nkwu-Nzu and Obomkpa erosion site, Obomkpa in Aniocha North local government area, respectively.
