Ebonyi Worries Over Slow Pace Of Ecological Project

The House of Representatives Committee on Environment and Ecological Fund at the weekend expressed disappointment over the slow pace of contractors and federal government implementation agencies handling ecological projects in Ebonyi state, regretting that some of the project sites could not be collated by the committee even when funds were provided for such projects in this year’s budget. The leader of the visiting committee members, Hon. Rufus Omeire representing Ideato North South Federal Constituency while briefing news men after their visit to the project sites, stated that huge sums of money were set aside by the Federal Government to tackle the ecological disaster in the South East geo-political zone of the country, but not that members who are performing their oversight functions were not satisfied with what they saw on the ground. He said for two days the committee members assigned to the South-East toured project sites in Four Local Government areas of Ebonyi State namely, where the Federal Ministry of Environment has on going and completed ecological project. Omeire who noted that the South East the worst hit ecological disaster zone in the country commended the governor in the zone for putting machineries in place to tackle the issue of flood and environmental disaster via a committee set up by the government of President Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua. He stated that part of their oversight function was to carry out extensive investigations on the reality of both Flood and erosion projects in the state as well as to ascertain whether more money should be committed adding that their intention was not to witch-hunt contractors handling these projects. At Izzi local government area, the committee while inspecting Izzi Flood/Erosion control project being executed by Abia-Imo Rivers Basin Development Authority discovered that, although the date of completion for the project was April 2008, no sign of work was being carried out in the location which is merely a massive rice farm and that the amount awarded for the project is over N26bn. The chairman of Izzi Local Government Area, Hon. Dustan Nwaogbaga had expressed delight over the visit, standing that there are so many places in his council that needed Federal Government attention but however expressed surprise at the non-existence of Izzi flood/Erosion Control Project. “Look at the place, is there any of such project going on? I brought them were so that they could see things for themselves,” he stated. Sources close to the committee gathered that the contractor handling the project is Bar Hindo Nigeria Ltd and that the contract was awarded since 14th April 2009. The case was also the same of Ikwo Council Area denied the existence of project linked with flood control measures in their area. The only place a project was on going was at Ugwulaugwu-Mgbon in Ohazara local government area, awarded at the sum of N9.6 The chairman of Ohazara local governemtn area, Hon. Hyacinth Nwodo noted with surprise that such a project was on going and he wasn’t aware of it, adding that the three area adversely affected by the flood or erosion in the area are Umunaza-Egwugwu, Ugwulangwu and Uzu-Mgbom area in Nkposi and solicited Federal Government attention in making Ohazara erosion free.