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By Julius Oweh

Since the dawn of civilization, man has taken it upon himself to make the environment more habitable and productive for his use. This could be at the individual or societal level. For if the environment is not well handled, it could result in disasters to man and threaten his very existence. And this unique relationship and nexus between the environment and the building of roads and bridges was brought to the limelight when the commissioners in charge of environment and works had interactive session with the press in Asaba, last week. The Commissioner for Environment, Honourable John Nani and the Commissioner for Works, Honourable James Augoye presented their report cards to Deltans and what they have been doing to enhance the quality of the environment under the Okowa administration.

The Environment Commissioner, John Nani gave a brief background of the ministry, insisting that the consuming passion of the government was its determined efforts to create a better, safe, clean and sustainable environment in the state. To achieve these lofty goals, he explains the ministry focus : ‘The ministry focus is to enforce state environmental policies with a view of addressing environmental and ecological issues such as sanitation and waste management, deforestation, erosion and flood control, pollution, climate change mitigation and adaptation, conservation, wildlife management, amongst others‘.

According to Nani, the Ministry of Environment has three parastatals that are in the process of driving the strategic goals of clean and sustainable environment. They are Delta State Environmental Protection Agency (DELSEPA), Delta State Waste Management (DSWMB) and Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP).

The commissioner disclosed that the government has made a milestone in the following areas : desilting drains and natural waterways, opening of the Anwai River and Amilimocha Waterways, Asaba, opening of Nana Creek, Koko, Deratization and Fumigation of major markets, dumpsites and prisons, sensitization of disaster management, training and re-training of staff, climate change, Forest management, Nigeria Erosion and Watershed management project and West Africa Coastal Areas Management Programme.

On the desilting of drains and natural waterways in the state, Nani explained thus :‘To create a comfortable , safe and clean environment for all Deltans and business community across the state, government over the period has embarked on mechanical desiltation and opening of natural waterways, canals and drains including construction of concrete box culverts across the state namely : Nana Creek, Koko, Aghalokpe, Effurun, Oghara, Otu-Jeremi, Sapele, Jesse. Isheagu, Warri, Asaba etc. This exercise is part of government measures carried out annually.‘

On the global issue of climate change that cuts across the nations‘ boundaries, Nana maintained that the Ministry of Environment mapped out plans for the mitigation of climate change option through the establishment of bio-fuel/bio-gel and clean cook stove production facility. This strategy, according to him, is with a view of sustaining a conducive environment. He also disclosed that Delta State participated at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change held in Paris, France December 2015 and in Marrakech, Morocco from 7th to 18th November, 2016.

Since maintaining the forest is critical to sustaining the environment, Nana shares his sentiments of Forest Management :‘Within the period under review, the ministry also mapped out plans for Tree Planting and Economic Tree Fruits Seedling Supply Schemes as well as regeneration of forest reserves to earn carbon credit and improve biodiversity of the ecosystem. It is worthy to mention that the Ministry has acquired the state of the art equipment drone to undertake Baseline Studies and Geographical Information System (GIS) in forest resource management‘ .

The name Delta is symbolic of the environment and erosion happened to haunt the state and its inhabitants. That is why the state government, according to Nani was able to key into the World Bank established Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) so as to primarily reduce the vulnerability of soil erosion in catchment areas. This, according to the commissioner, is to focus on gully erosion and flood sites in the state that threaten infrastructure and livelihood.

He speaks further on the erosion control measures of the agency :‘Delta state is among the 21 states in the federation that have keyed into the project of the World Bank/NEWMAP and has paid its counterpart funding of five hundred and thirty million Naira. In a bid to demonstrate Delta State readiness for the project, the state government in collaboration with the World Bank and NEWMAP launched the project on 7th, September, 2017 by His Excellency, Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa. The prioritized erosion and flood sites include : Midoma/Iwerebor Erosion site, Owanta, Boji-Boji Owa in Ika North East Local Government Area; Obamkpa Erosion Site, Obamkpa, Ukwu-Nzu Erosion site, Ukwu-Nzu in Aniocha North Local Government Area, Jesse flood site, Jesse in Ethiope West LGA and Onicha-Uku Erosion site, Ubulu-Uku in Aniocha South Local government area of the state‘.

Despite these stated achievements, Nani observed that the Ministry was still faced with the challenges of poor attitude of the people towards environmental issues, lack of co-operation from the citizens in respect to payment of waste collection and disposal and monitoring and enforcement of environmental sanitation laws violated by offenders across the state.

The commissioner for works Chief James Augoye explained the responsibilities were the building of public works – construction and maintenance of state government roads, bridges and drains, airport development, explosives, construction and maintenance of sewage and drainage channels, consultancy and supervision of civil engineering projects of other MDAs, liaising with federal government and its MDAs on civil engineering and other related matters.

Augoye underpins the philosophy of his ministry :‘The ministry of works is the technical arm of the state government responsible for the formulation of policies as well as conception and implementation of civil engineering works with a mission of building a well planned integrated and sustainable transport network with effective inter-modal linkages to facilitate socio-economic transformation and development‘.

And in fulfillment of this well planned philosophy, the works commissioner disclosed that from May 2015 till date, the ministry has embarked on the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation and maintenance of 193 road projects at a cost of over N112 billion covering over 732 kilometres of road and 229 kilometres of concrete-lined drains. He speaks more of what his ministry is doing :‘The value of projects currently being handled by the ministry including those inherited from the previous administration is put at over N215 billion and involves 208 roads with a total length of 866 kilometres. Of this figure, 92 roads covering over 350 kilometres have been completed while 166 roads are at various stages of completion. Construction of these roads, which comprise of highways as well as urban and rural roads, is geared towards improved mobility, the stimulation of agricultural and industrial activities as well as enhancing the quality of life for residents of the state‘.

The Works Commissioner mentioned some of the major highway projects as ; rehabilitation/ashphalt overlay of Nsukwa-Ejeme Aniogor-Agbor Alidinma-Owa Alidinma road, construction of okurekpo/Okunoh-Okpara/Okoruah/Pnumane/Samagidi Road, construction of Middle Section of Alisimie/Oza-Nogogo in Ika South LGA, construction of Ughelli-Afiesee-Ofuoma Road in Ughelli North LGA, Rehabilitation and Asphalt Overlay of Umunede/Otolokpo/Ute-Okpu/Ekuku-Agbor/Ndemili/Obeti/Umutu Road in Ika North East, Ika South, Ndkwa West and Ukwuani LGAS, construction of Oviri-Olomu/Egodor in Ughelli South and Burutu LGAs, Rehabilitation and Resealing of Otu-Jeremi/Okwagbe Road in Ughelli South LGA and construction of Uduophori (Bomadi/OhoroJunction)/Toru-Angiama/Toru-Apelebiri/Patani Road (Phase II) in Patani LGA.

On urban roads, the commissioner said that his ministry was working in Sapele ,Owa Alero, Okpanam, Kwale,Abraka, Effurun, Okerenkoko,Okpare-Umolo, Ovwain ,Warri and Ogidigben.

Augoye also stated that the passion of the state governor to control flood in Asaba and other parts of the state was all consuming. He puts in this way:‘Government is currently executing three major water routing projects in Asaba metropolis. These projects are aimed at mitigating the flooding experienced in various part of the state capital every. Continuation and completion of the construction of Storm Water control measures in DLA/Jesus corridor in Asaba. Construction of Storm Water Discharge Channel along DBS/Cabinet/Umejei Adudu Way to Amilimocha River, Asaba. 3.Construction of Storm Water Drainage Along Ambassador Ralph Uwechue Way to Anwai River, Asaba.‘

The commissioner also spoke of the plan of the government to make the Asaba Airport an international airport. Listen to Him :‘Following the failure of the previous contractor to complete the works on schedule, government awarded a contract for completion of the rehabilitation of the Runway and Taxiways, extension of box culvert and ancillary works at Asaba International Airport, Asaba to Setraco Nigeria Limited in December 2017. With a target to complete the works in May 2018, it is expected that the completion of the works will position Asaba airport to realize its full potential by attracting more flights and larger aircrafts‘.

The commissioner observed that it was the desire of the Okowa administration to build more roads as way of opening arteries of development but facing some challenges in putting these objectives into concrete reality. Augoye listed some of these challenges as inadequate funding, the high cost of road construction because of the peculiar Delta terrain and the unpredictable weather patterns being experienced in this part of the world due to climate change. The commissioners, however, sounded optimistic note that in line with the ‘smart agenda‘ of the Okowa administration, everything will be done within the province of human weaknesses to create a conducive environment for growth, development and that Deltans and residents in the state shall enjoy the dividends of democracy through construction of roads and facilities that will stand the test of time. Nothing could be more reassuring than the testimonials of the two mentioned commissioners.

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