Flooding: Umahi Commissions Iyiudele Erosion Control Project

The Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi has commissioned the 7.5km Iyiudele and 4.8km Ebia River -Egugwu, Agbaja erosion control channels constructed by the state government in partnership with NEWMAP.

Also commissioned by the governor is the 23.5 km Hilltop Nwofe Road which was before now a death trap.

At the commissioning of the Iyiudele and Ebia River -Egugwu Agbaja erosion control channels, Governor Umahi thanked NEWMAP for a good job on the projects.

“I feel very delighted and grateful for this to happen at my time. For two years counting we lost a lot of people, we lost a lot of resources before NEWMAP intervened.

“They have done a very beautiful work; everyone will notice that for two to three years we have not had the problem of flooding in the Abakaliki Capital City.”

Umahi also hinted that the channel apart from saving lives would also serve as a point of tourism in the state.

Commissioning the Hilltop Nwofe Road, the Governor-elect, Rt. Hon Francis Nwifuru thanked the Governor for overseeing the construction of the road under his watch despite that the project was awarded by previous administrations without success.

“Surprising to me Your Excellency, you awarded the contract and this project that had been at the budget of the state Government since 2003 was completed by Your Excellency.

“So, if you hadn’t done this road, Your Excellency, we wouldn’t have had access to our places. So we thank you, Your Excellency.”

Earlier, the coordinator of NEWMAP in Ebonyi State, Chief Philip Echiegu and the chairman of Abakaliki local government area, Chief Ebere Nwogba, expressed happiness that the erosion control channels have addressed the perennial flood disaster within the Abakaliki Capital City.