By Nneka Nwogwugwu
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved N16 billion for erosion control projects in 12 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The benefiting states include: Abia, Imo, Ogun, Osun, Cross River, Adamawa, Gombe, Taraba, Jigawa, Katsina, Kwara and Niger.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, said this at the end of the weekly FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said as quoted by Verity news, “The Ecological Fund projects for the 3rd and 44th quarters of last year were approved. They are soil and pollution control intervention projects such as erosion flood control, bridge reconstruction and road improvement at Umonyi-Nkpa communities of Bende Local Government Area of Abia State; Gully erosion control works at Umukoro lower Okata community in Ihite Ogoma Local Government Area of Imo State; Imaluomi erosion control project phase II, Ogun State; afforestation combating land degradation road improvement measures in Osun State and erosion control at Calabar Free Trade Zone in Cross River State.
“Others are erosion and Road improvement works at Yelwa Private School and Police Station Road, Yola, Adamawa State; ecological problems at Federal College of Education (Technical) Gombe; flood and erosion menace affecting community and environs in Lau Local Government Area phase II in Taraba State; erosion and flood control at Birnin Kudu-Kafingana, Tsamiya Local Government in Jigawa State; flood erosion control works from Kano road to main water channel in Daura, Katsina State, phase II; Asa river erosion and flood control project at Ilorin in Kwara State.
“Also, erosion flood control and environmental degradation at Agai and Lapai communities in Niger State and soil erosion, river channelization and slope protection within Maitama District, phase III FCT, in Abuja,” he said.