Flood, bad roads threaten N3b World Bank erosion project in C’river

MEMBERS of the Nkebre Community Development Association ( NCDA) in Cross River State have lamented that bad roads, lack of drainage to control heavy rainwater and flooding are threatening the N3 billion World Bank erosion control project.

They raised the alarm in a statement at the weekend, saying that if urgent attention was not paid to the project, the World Bank and the Cross River State Nigeria

Erosion Watershed Management Project ( NEWMAP) might fail.

The group specifically bemoaned a situation where floodwater from the rains gushing into the installed hydraulic structures of the almost completed scheme had constituted a huge threat to the project, describing its dimension as “frightening.”

Residents of lower Ikot Nkebre, who sought urgent intervention over the development, had earlier raised the alarm over the quality of work and their inability to access the project design.

They insisted that failure to redesign the project would lead to a situation where erosion would sack over 50 houses and destroy the entire job.

Following their demand, the NEWMAP intervened in a meeting with members of the community and resolved to liaise with relevant authorities to seek approval for the road and drainage, adding that Akpaven Integrated Services Limited ( contractor of the project should provide the design and cost estimates for its execution.

The Guardian learnt that Henry Onwe, Francis Agaba of NEWMAP and selected members of Ikot Nkebre Community signed the resolutions of the meeting.

After the meeting, a letter was sent to World Bank, which was signed by the Village Head of Ikot Nkebre, Chief Tony Nkebre, Chairman of NCDA, Etubom Eyo Ita Eyo and Secretary, Elder Emmanuel Ewa in Calabar.