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NDDC declares readiness to tackle flooding, as IFAD laments agric project collapse

By Chido Okafor (Warri), Joke Falaju (Abuja), Dahiru Suleiman (Dutse)
31 October 2022   |   3:33 am
Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has pledged to address perennial flooding in the region.

Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has pledged to address perennial flooding in the region.

The Commission made the pledge as the Country Director of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Ms. Ekoue Dede, lamented that flood has eroded gains made in the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise Niger Delta (LIFE- ND).

The NDDC Acting Managing Director, Dr. Emmanuel Audu-Ohwavborua, who was represented by a director in the Commission, Mr. Steve Ogheneare, made the pledge while commissioning road projects the commission recently completed in Sapele, Delta State.

The two roads commissioned were the four-kilometre Akporjevu Road and 2.5-kilometre Oghene Road, which were awarded in 2018 and 2019 respectively to Messrs Solid FFLO Asphalt Company Nig. Ltd.

“Before the award of the project, Akporjevughe Road, Doyanbi Lane, Alfred Jonah School Road, Omoire Ojigwo Road were swampy and in unbelievably bad state, prone to perennial flooding and, therefore, not motorable throughout the year,” he said, stressing the determination of the commission to tackle flooding in the area.

THE flood, the IFAD director said “washed away many of the progress made by the project young and women agrientrepreneurs, making it more difficult for the project to reach its target results.”

She explained that the project aimed at promoting agribusiness development, rural enterprise in seven value chains: cassava, rice, plantain, cocoa, fishery, palm oil and poultry.

The programme, according to her, targets 25,550 youth and women entrepreneurs in IFAD-funded states by 2025.

MEANWHILE, an International organisation, ActionAid Nigeria, in collaboration with Baba Azimi Foundation, supported by STARTFUND, has supported 1,200 households devastated by flooding in Jigawa State with N82 million worth of intervention, the Logistics Adviser of the NGO, Mr. Goodluck Omoh, has disclosed.

He said: “Our commitment to Jigawa State was in line with our cardinal objectives in rendering humanitarian support to victims of war, flood, among other natural disasters, affecting human lives in different countries of the world.

“In Jigawa State we have taken three worst affected councils, namely Gwiwa, Miga, and Kaugama councils to render support to victims affected by flood.”

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