President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday inaugurated a 7.6 kilometer drain and culvert projects to control soil erosion in Jamaare Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
Represented by Amb. Maryam Yalwaji-Katagum, Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, the president said the projects were designed to alleviate the suffering of the communities.
The projects included construction of culverts, drains, earth work, surface protection among others.
Buhari said the intervention was to address the fundamental ecological problems affecting the communities and change the narratives.
He said that the Federal Government had executed viable erosion control projects in many communities across the country.
While commending the contractor for a quality job, the President urged the benefiting communities to ensure effective utilisation of the projects and protect it against vandalism.
In his remarks, Gov. Bala Mohammed, lauded President Buhari for the gesture.
Mohammed, represented by his deputy, Sen. Baba Tela, said the state government had earmarked N500 million in the 2022 budget towards addressing ecological problems in the state.
He appealed to the Ecological Project Office (EPO), to expand the scope of the programme to other areas ravaged to flooding during the last rainy season.
The governor reitrated commitment to continue to support ecological projects.
Earlier, Mr Elima Mathais, an official of the EPO, said the project was initiated through a reques by the Hadejia River Basin Development Athourity and facilitated by Hauwa Abba Kyari.
Mathias said the project was expected to be maintained and sustained by the benefiting communities, stressing we would expand the scope of the projects to cover other affected communities.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the president had earlier inaugurated the completed 106.3 Kano – Maiduguri Section 3 Azare – Potiskum . (NAN)
