Bauchi State Government is to access N30 billion World Bank grant to address environmental problems caused by flood disasters witnessed in various local government areas in the state in recent times.
The disclosure was made by the Director General of the Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency (BASEPA), Dr. Kabir Ibrahim.
Ibrahim spoke during the commencement of evacuation of sand that covered some areas of Cheledi town in Kirfi local government area of the state during the raining season.
The BASEPA DG lamented that flood was rampant and has ravaged many local government areas in the state including Kirfi.
He stated that the devastation was so much that the state government had to solicit the intervention of the World Bank.
Ibrahim explained that the State government has agreed to contribute N1 billion as counterpart fund which would be captured in the proposed 2022 state budget.
“We know that the state government cannot do it alone, that was why we asked for World Bank’s intervention funding,” he stated.
“The World Bank promised support us in that regard after paying the counterpart fund, and it is one of the state government priorities at the moment”
In his remark, Chairman of Kirfi local government council, Garba Musa Bara, reiterated the determination of the people of the area to support the evacuation exercise.
“We have been able to get the listening ears of the DG of BASEPA who mobilised to come here and evacuate the sand that is a menace to us,” Bara said.
“The sand will be cleared from our pathways, and arrangement had been made to run away from what would eventually bring such disaster in future”.
The district head of Cheledi, Alhaji Sale Bello thanked the state Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir for the prompt action during the last flooding in the communities in the area.
Bello maintained that they were always ready to abide by the laws of the land and respect for constituted authority.
Speaking with our correspondent, some residents of Cheledi explained that the sand evacuation exercise was timely considering that the period harvest by farmers had commenced.
They also appreciated the state government and stakeholders for making sure that the exercise would no doubt help them forget the recent past of flood disaster in the area.
