FG, World Bank move to tackle erosion in Kogi

The federal government in collaboration with the World Bank and Kogi State government has taken steps to address erosion threatening many communities across the state. It was gathered that they are working through the Nigerian Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP).

The Kogi State Project Coordinator of NEWMAP, Bar. Ladi Ahmed Jatto, who stated this yesterday in Lokoja, said the project was aimed at bringing succour to communities ravaged by erosion and land degradation.

“NEWMAP is a project initiated by the federal government in collaboration with states and the World Bank, to reduce vulnerability to soil erosion and reverse land degradation in various communities affected by erosion.

“In Kogi State for instance, we have so many ecological challenges given our topography and the presence of two major rivers. NEWMAP has actually come to put smile on the faces of Kogi people because the target is to reduce the suffering of people that are being affected by gully erosion and other forms of land degradation”, she said.

According to her, six erosion sites cutting across six local government areas of the state have already been identified to benefit from the project in the first phase.

The erosion sites to benefit from the intervention include Etahi erosion site in Okene Local Government Area, Ankpa erosion site in Ankpa, Ogane-Aji in Dekina, Ozuri in Adavi, Omigbo in Kabba Bunu and Ugwolawo in Ofu Local Government Area.