Edo Requires N160bn To Tackle Ecological Challenges 

The Executive Chairman of the Ecological Funding and Management Commission, Dr Blessing Agbomhere, has unveiled plans by the Edo State Government to raise N160billion to tackle ecological challenges in the State.

Dr Agbomhere also revealed that the fund would be raised through the Ecological/Climate Trust.

The executive chairman, who spoke at a press briefing in Benin City, said the Okpebholo Green Revolution for Edo would be launched next week.

Agbomhere stressed that the state opted to raise the fund because its three-year budget would not be enough to remediate gully erosion sites across the state.

He stated that the over 60 gully erosion sites would be remediated in phases.

Agbomhere, who raised the alarm over the increasing number of illegal sand mining sites in several communities in the Edo South senatorial district, said the operators have no plans to remediate the sites after their operations.

Besides raising funds to tackle ecological challenges, Dr Agbomhere said the state planned to plant one million trees over the next four years.

“We went round Edo State after we were inaugurated to assess all the negative ecological impact sites in the state. We were devastated by what we saw. I never believed Edo had been ravaged by gully erosion until we did our assessment tour.

The Edo State budget for three years cannot resolve the issues of the gully problem. To resolve and remediate one gully, we need between N5 billion and N6 billion. We have some that will cost N20billion. Edo State alone cannot solve the issue of gully erosion because its budget is allocated to many projects.

“We are expecting to raise N160billion to solve Ecological problems at the Trust Fund to be able to resolve ecological challenges. We cannot remediate all the gullies, so we have to do them in phases,” Agbomhere said.

He stressed that part of the Commission’s plan was to turn these gully sites into tourist attractions. “We will restore, conserve and preserve. We are already designing projects that we will put in every gully we remediate.”

Regarding illegal sand mining, Agbomhere stated that the sites were already creating gullies that would become problems in the future.

“A lot of companies are operating in Edo State. After their operation, they will leave the state without remediating the environment. We are calling on them to tell us their plans of remediation when they leave,” he said.