‘Erosion works at 90 per cent completion in C/River’

The Project Coordinator of Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP), Mr. Fidelis Anukwa, has disclosed that the World Bank funded erosion control works in parts of Cross River State are at an advanced stage of completion.

He spoke when he led a team from the World Bank in the state to five of the erosion gully sites under construction.

He disclosed that due to high erosion menace, they have further earmarked additional nine sites for early attention, of which two are in the northern part of the state.

He said most of the designs have also reached an advanced stage and that they have already placed advertisements for the two sites.

The five sites worked on and which have reached 90% completion stage, according to him, were in Iyangansang, Ikot Ikembre, Edimotop, Ikot Awantim and Atakpa areas of Calabar.

He said:  “The inspection is for them to see what is on ground and then to advise technically. It is part of the monitoring process of World Bank to ensure that this project is on track and deliver its objectives.”

The commissioner in the Ministry of International Development Co-operation Cross River State, Mr. Francis Eta, said the state in partnership with the World Bank is putting heads together to see that communities affected by erosion gullies would receive proper intervention.

“With what we have done, there is still more to be done.From what you have seen, people coming out crying and begging for more intervention; the partnership from the state government with the World Bank,to see how we can come together and rescue these communities,” he said.

Mr. Offiong Ekpo who is the chairman of the site committee and one of the victims of the gully erosion commended the efforts of World Bank and NEWMAP in coming to his rescue.

“When I came in here newly, the place was very bushy until the gully started in 2009. In 2014 the World Bank came to assist us. We are very happy seeing this place like this after the terrible time we went through.

My house was one among the houses lost to the gully. I was affected but before they started the job I was compensated and moved from there to my new house just some stone throws from here,” he said.