The people of Ladanai and Tsamiya Babba towns in Nasarawa Local Government Area of Kano State have heaved a great sigh of relief and expressed a deep sense of appreciation to the Federal Government following the urgent Intervention through the Ecological Project Office on the devastating gully erosion that ravaged both communities and claimed several lives and properties over the years.
This was revealed when the Permanent Secretary, Ecological Project Office (EPO), Malam Shehu Ibrahim, mni visited the State, Monday, 13th March, 2023 as part of his on-going tour of Ecological Projects across the country.
The scope of the project include; a 1.5km Accelerated Gully Erosion works with a 1.2km roadside reinforcement drainage, 1km collector drains with over 200,000sq meter reclamation of eroded land at Ladanai Community in Nasarawa Local Government Area of Kano State.
The Permanent Secretary expressed satisfaction with the work done by the contractor and stated that the intervention has ended the 40years of the agony of the people due to the perennial erosion and flood menace.
Malam Ibrahim said he was excited that the locals in both communities have now returned to their homelands and farming businesses after decades of being chased away due to the ecological challenge in the area.
Speaking to reporters during the tour, some of the locals including, Malam Shamsu Adam and Abdullahi Auwal, commended the Federal Government through EPO for the intervention. According to them, (speaking in hausa) and translated thus, “the truth be told, the Federal Government has done us well by executing this project which has ended the frequent deaths of our children who were often swept away during the massive flooding and also the loss of property in times past”. They added, “Now we are living in peace and have returned to our ancestral homeland”.
The contractor, Alhaji Usman Kansila of UYK Nigeria Limited, said the company deployed the best of its technical expertise in executing the project which amounted to the success story in tackling the challenge. He attested to the quality of work done and assured that the project will stand the test of time.
Other projects inspected by the Permanent Secretary included the; Erosion and Flood Control Works at Tundun Murtala Graveyard at Nasarawa Local Government Area, Kano where residents disclosed that before the intervention, corpses of their dead were often washed away during the rainy season. Also inspected were, the Flood Control Works to link the Main Water Channel and the Kwargwan Pond, drainage, concrete and road reclamation works covering about 7km in Daura, Kastina State. He rounded up his tour of the projects at Sharggalle, Sirika in Kastina State.
While in Daura, the Permanent Secretary paid a courtesy visit on the Emir of Daura, HRH, Alhaji Umar Farouk Umar in his palace. He said the visit was to appeal to the monarch to admonish the people to take ownership of the project so as to appropriately maintain them for their benefits, adding that government’s projects are meant for the people and to improve their livelihood.
The monarch extolled the Federal Government for intervening in the ecological challenge and particularly in reclaiming the Kwargwam Pond and the extensive 7km drainage and road improvement works in the community. He assured the Permanent Secretary that the project will be well maintained.
The Permanent Secretary was accompanied on the tour by Directors in the Office including; Director, Pollution Control, Mr Clinton Iqwe, Soil Erosion and Flood Control, Abubakar Takuma, Director, Special Duties, Yakubu Habu and Director, Drought Desertification and Coastal Zone Management Department, Haruna Bello.
Eno Olotu (Mrs)
Deputy Director (Press & Public Relations)
