Cross River Govt, NEWMAP Execute Gully Erosion Project At Ikot Nkebre

The Cross River State Commissioner For International Development Cooperation, Dr Inyang Asibong, has inspected the ongoing work at the Ikot Nkebre gully site executed by the Akpaven Integrated Service Limited.

Dr Asibong, who doubles as the Acting Coordinator for the Cross River State Nigeria Erosion Watershed Management Project (CRS-NEWMAP) was accompanied on the tour by management staff of the project and government officials.

Speaking to newsmen at the gully site, Asibong said the inspection exercise was part of efforts in ensuring that the project meets the Environmental and Social Management Plans and ensure completion before rainy season.

The Commissioner said the State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade was determined to execute meaningful and quality projects that would benefit the people of all categories.

Expressing satisfaction with the work done by AKPAVEN at ensuring that the vital aspects of the job which might pose threat to the community is done and for meeting up the ESMP, Asibong promised the continued support from the state government to ensure 100 per cent completion.

“We are here at the Ikot Nkebre community courtesy of the Cross River State government and the World Bank NEWMAP to inspect the sites and the ongoing work happening here.

“Out of five fingers of the gully erosion, four fingers have been completed. The community is actually happy with this, because the erosion ravaged the community, destroyed and brought down houses before this intervention.

“We are happy at the pace of work we are seeing here. The contractor, AKPAVEN, has promised to complete it by the end of the dry season. We are constantly monitoring this process and we know that with the way the work is going, by the end of April the work will be completed.

“I want to thank Gov. Ben Ayade for providing the enabling environment and funds for the process and of course the World Bank NEWMAP.”

She said, “The Environmental and Social Management Plan has been met, everything that is supposed to be done has been done, we are hopeful that before the beginning of the rainy season, the job must have been completed.”

Also speaking, the Project Director of AKPAVEN Integrated Service Limited, Engr. George Brown, thanked the inspection team and assured them that the project would be completed before the end of dry season.

He said the vital aspect of the job which poses threat to the community will be completed.

“The job has gone over 80% completion, and hopefully we are looking at completing it before rainy season. The erosion job is dynamic, we are trying to meet up before the rain starts coming. We still have other aspects of the job that is yet to complete, like the bio remediation jobs, the planting of grasses and other things. But we are saying that the vital aspect of the job which might pose threats to the community will be completed before the rain starts,” he said.

The village head of the community, Chief Anthony Nkebre, praised the company for staying true to quality.

He thanked the state government, World Bank and NEWMAP for coming to their rescue and putting smiles back on their faces.