TonyRazor

Anambra leaders weep, petition World Bank over abandoned erosion project

Community leaders in Anambra State have petitioned the World Bank over abandoned erosion project in the area.

In the petition made available to our correspondent on Thursday in Awka, Anambra State, the elders said the project was to be executed by the World Bank through NEWMAP.

Led by the Anambra State Ohanaeze president, Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene, the leaders said scores of lives had been lost because of the raging erosion in Agulu, Nanka and Oko communities.
Other signatories to the petition were the traditional rulers of Agulu, Innocent Obodoakor, Prof Laz Ekwueme( Oko), Godwin Ezeilo(Nanka) and the secretary of Agulu/Nanka/Oko Erosion Management Committee, Dr Barnabas Nwosu.

Their petition read in part," The communities of Agulu, Nanka and Oko, are constrained to notify you of the grave situation and the havoc being unleashed on our communities by the erosion menace, which has continued to escalate, resulting in loss of lives, households and threatening our existence, especially for the poorest people in our communities.

"We are aware that His Excellency, Governor Willie Obiano, contacted the Federal Government and World Bank, who gave assurance that Agulu-Nanka-Oko is of great significance to Nigeria and World Bank, having defied many previous attempts at intervention.

"The Governor assured us that the World Bank and Federal Government are desirous of tackling the menace with a promise to start work soonest.

"To date, we have not seen any action and NEWMAP people keep saying they are working on it, with no timelines.

"We are now extremely frustrated as our previous pleas have not yielded any result. Some time ago, your NEWMAP people paid several visits to our three communities and mobilized us to support their preliminary works like engineering design, survey, resettlement plan and environmental impact assessment.

"They sensitized our people on how we can help to stop erosion and how we should relate with the contractors when they eventually start work.

They added,"Copies of these studies were given to us by NEWMAP after approval by Anambra State Government, Federal Government of Nigeria and the World Bank.

"With these reports, we were assured that NEWMAP is ready to invite contractors to begin work at our sites.
A short while ago, NEWMAP people made a sort of "display" and gave 21 days for all the affected people to cross check their names for possible correction.

"The deadline has since elapsed and nearly one year after, we are yet to receive any information on when the contractors will begin work. As if that was not enough, in
January this year, we saw another advertisement in the papers for more studies in our three communities .

They maintained that the communities had been exhausted by too many studies that were not yielding any action, adding that the people of the area had become restive and accused the leaders of compromised to keep quiet about the lack of action.

They said," The false accusation is not fair on us and the reputation of the World Bank. We therefore deem it necessary to inform you of this situation and humbly seek your urgent intervention as we approach another rainfall season.

"The rate at which the erosion is ravaging is better imagined than seen. You might be surprised that since your people visited last year, four more houses have caved into the deep abyss of the dreaded gully. The storm water drain, which has been a major check on the flash floods is on the verge of being imploded. You could imagine what would happen next if the water channel is broken as it is already being undercut.

"We are hereby pleading that you use your good offices to cause urgent intervention at Agulu-Nanka-Oko as promised by NEWMAP without delay. It is our sincere and humble advice that any further delay in taking immediate action will not only result in further loss of lives and properties but also add to escalated costs. Please find enclosed the requisite documents for your review and urgent action, sir. Once again, accept our appreciation and be assured of our unreserved cooperation.

hmm!

Maybe the money for the project has been looted and relooted.

no be nigeria we dey.

This is serious.

Erosion Erosion Erosion ..... no be me mynd go ban for weeks

The perfect solution is good network drainage.

They shouldn't wait for federal govt. Their people lives is the toppest priority

why do nigerian journalists use the words 'weep' and 'beg' as if they're casual words lol.

Buhari's hatred for South East is
out of this world



.

They weep about everything

Help should come quickly to these areas. The Nanka,Agulu, Oko erosion is on another level.

Anambra state governors are trying. It's high time federal government step up.

Anambra Leaders Weep, Petition World Bank Over Abandoned Erosion Project

Seh make we supply them bucket?

Weeping instead of them to fix their drainage network...

helinues:

Anambra Leaders [b]Weep[/b[s]], Petition World Bank Over Abandoned Erosion Project

[/s]

Seh make we supply them bucket?

Dirty buckets used mostly in the Ewedu region to pack shit as the people can't access proper water cistern? Hell no we will pass.

Hope you recognise at least one of the community leaders. He is Prof. Laz Ekwueme, the first Nigerian professor of music. Yes that's the class on display. Now run along and play with sand.

gwafaeziokwu:


Dirty buckets used mostly in the Ewedu region to pack shit as the people can't access proper water cistern? Hell no we will pass.

Hope you recognise at least one of the community leaders. He is Prof. Laz Ekwueme, the first Nigerian professor of music. Yes that's the class on display. Now run along and play with sand.

My friend, you are incoherent

helinues:


My friend, you are incoherent

That is the whole essence. To make your miserable existence more difficult.

If proper things make proper meaning to you, you wouldn't be scavenging for every south East thread like a dog in heat looking for a quickie.

There are classes of languages. One should always know the one to use for a mad man.

OruExpress:
why do nigerian journalists use the words 'weep' and 'beg' as if they're casual words lol.

They just want to sensationalise the report or they have ulterior motives!

gwafaeziokwu:


Dirty buckets used mostly in the Ewedu region to pack shit as the people can't access proper water cistern? Hell no we will pass.

Hope you recognise at least one of the community leaders. He is Prof. Laz Ekwueme, the first Nigerian professor of music. Yes that's the class on display. Now run along and play with sand.

You can now see the reason for giving the thread such a sensationalised heading! It’s so the usual useless Igbo haters can get excited that Igbos are ‘weeping’!

IGBOSON1:


You can now see the reason for giving the thread such a sensationalised heading! It’s so the usual useless Igbo haters can get excited that Igbos are ‘weeping’!

Guess what they will never disappoint. Their immaturity is so embarrassing that you will start wondering if these are grown men and women with kids possibly.

Non of them took time to read up the news in order to pick one or two information. They just saw the headline "WEEP" and that is it.

Ezennwa:
hmm!

Maybe the money for the project has been looted and relooted.

no be nigeria we dey.

NEWMAP is a world bank assisted project. It is like a special purpose vehicle created specifically to expend the world bank loan strictly for the purpose for which it was obtained. The money for the project cannot be spend without the world bank giving a “no objection to credit IDA’ advice. So, looting the funds for the project is very difficult.

The problem may be due to incompetence on the part of the PIU staff or the world bank asking for too much study before giving credit advisory.