The Federal government on Tuesday disclosed that its intervention on the control of erosion has reduced the problem of flooding in some states of the country.
The Permanent Secretary, Ecological Project Office in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mallam Shehu Ibrahim, stated that the history of flooding on the Asa river water ways had been devastating the areas around the river for more than 20 years.
He added that the flooding had reduced in the last two years of the government intervention.
Ibrahim disclosed this in Ilorin, Kwara state capital while leading a team on inspection of erosion control project on the four kilometers Asa river water ways.
According to him, “The history of flooding in areas around the Asa river had been more than 20 years, but we are happy that the problem has reduced in the last two or three years when the Federal government put up measures of control of erosion in many states.”
He attributed the persisted cause of flooding to illegal and unlawful dumping of refuse by the people thereby blocking water ways, poor erosion control in towns and cities, narrow path on the river which prevented free flow of water from the rivers during the raining seasons.
Ibrahim appealed to Nigerians to henceforth desist from illegal dumping of refuse on water ways to allow free flow of water from the rivers as a way to check flooding in major cities of the country.
The Permanent Secretary who said that the first phase of the erosion control projects would in a couple of months be completed stated that the second and the third phases would take care of desilting the river and expansion of water ways on the river.
The team inspected dredging and building of embarkment on Asa river from Unity road, Taiwo road and Amilengbe area, Ilorin.
Speaking earlier, Mr Bello El-Rufai who spoke on behalf of the contractor, Eurobel International design Limited said that the project was awarded by the government in August 2021 to be completed in 18 months.
He said that the heavy rainfall in the state between August and October in 2022 made the period of completion of the project to be extended by three months assuring that it would be completed before the advent of this year raining season.
