Empowering Kogi Community With Livelihood Project
One of the strategic agenda's of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration is the empowerment of Nigerians especially at the grassroots. CHIKA OKEKE writes that this was clearly manifested in Kogi State recently.
The Dekina community in Dekina local government area of Kogi State is mainly populated by farmers, though with some civil servants that are making waves in their respective careers.
Given its soil texture and agro-climatic condition of the state, the farmers cultivate both food and cash crops such as rice, yam, cassava, maize, cashew, mango, melon, groundnut and among others.
Notwithstanding the importance of agriculture, the farmers have been challenged while conveying their produce to the market due to years of gully erosion that had led to loss of lives and properties in the community.
To this end, the immediate past minister of labour and employment, Prof Stephen Ocheni forwarded an urgent request to the Ecological Fund Office (EFO) on the need to address the continuous erosion, flood and other ecological challenges in the community, and to avoid further environmental degradation, loss of lives and properties.
President Muhammadu Buhari conceded to the request and approved erosion control works at Dekina town, as one of the 16 ecological intervention projects for third quarter, 2018; while the contract was awarded by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on the 13th March, 2019 to Messers AH Properties and Construction limited.
At the commissioning and handing over of the project in Dekina, President Buhari was optimistic that it would bring huge relief to the community that has been stressed by ecological challenges.
The President, who was represented by the minister of state, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu said that the intervention would uplift the living standard of the community and reduce the dangers to lives and properties associated with erosion and flooding in the past.
Director of administration and secretarial services, FCT, Mr Bello Lateef, who represented Tijjani, underscored the present administration's commitment in implementing all genuine government policies, agreements and contracts at both national and international levels.
Lending her voice, the permanent secretary of EFO, Dr Habiba Lawal maintained that the project would prevent environmental degradation, loss of lives and properties.
Lawal, who was represented by the director II, Soil Erosion and Flood Control department of EFO, Mr Mathias Eluma, urged the benefitting community to maintain the project and avoid converting it as a refuse site.
She said that the timely completion of the project was achieved through the efforts of the contractor and consultant, who worked tirelessly to ensure minimum loss of time in the implementation schedule.
Describing the scope of the project, consultant to Messers Optimal Design Associates Nigeria limited, Engr Broderick Akarah stated that a total length of 4.9km reinforced concrete trapezoidal drain of varying sizes was provided, with a total earthworks reclamation of 34, 000 cubic metres.
He listed the areas affected with gully erosion as Ogbonihia (625m), Okikili (130m), Sabin Gari (390m), Tudun Wada (382m), Okete road (160m) and Udaba (100m) with a total of 1.8km, while the road washed by erosion are Warrior (951m) and Okete (603m) with a total of 1.6km.
The Eje of Dekina, Alhaji Usman Obaje requested for the phase 2 of the project, meant to address series of erosion at Ayangba that had led to loss of lives and properties.
Also, the secretary of Dekina community, Mr Sule Yusufu pleaded for the construction of motorable roads and pipe borne in the community.
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