World Bank to intervene in Cross River’s erosion sites

Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP), funded by World Bank will soon start intervention on nine sites in Cross River State.

The Project Coordinator, Mr. Fidelis Anukwa disclosed this in Calabar while on inspection with the World Bank team to five erosion gully sites, which work will soon completed.

He disclosed that the design work for the new sites, which two is located in Northern part of the State have reached an advanced state and are currently being advertised.

He said the five sites Iyangansang, Ikot Ikembre, Edimotop, Ikot Awantim and Atakpa, have reached 90 per cent of work completion.

During the inspection, Iyangasang community members requested for more intervention on three other gullies located close to the site already receiving intervention. The Inspection is a joint NEWMAP,  World Bank supervision mission.

Anukwa said: “The inspection is for us to see what is on ground and then to advice technically. It is part of the monitoring process of World Bank to ensure that this project is on track and deliver it objectives.

“The process cannot be short circled. You must follow diligently on the sites to intervene. All the stakeholders must be on ground to have common understanding on what to do and we have an array of request from other communities far more critical than the ones we have been to.

The Commissioner Ministry of International Development Cooperation Cross River State, Mr. Francis Eta said the State in partnership with World Bank to ensure that communities affected by erosion gullies would receive proper intervention.

Ita explained, “With what we have done there is still more to be done, from what you have seen, people coming out crying and begging for more intervention, the partnership from the State government with the world bank to see how we can come together and rescue these communities”.

The site committee chairman, Ikot Ekpo gully erosion, Mr. Offiong Ekpo, who lost his house to the gully and was later compensated by World Bank thanked the World Bank and NEWMAP For coming to his rescue.

My house was one among the houses lost to the gully. I was affected but before they started the job I was compensated and moved from there to my new house just some stones from here.”