Stakeholders in Okpanam Community, including Landlords’ Associations of Amachai/Ogbe-zoma and Vanguard Area Erosion Sites have appreciated the Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, for his gracious approval to the commencement of engineering designs and sudsequent civil works in the community.
The stakeholders gave the commendation when the management of Delta State Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (Delta NEWMAP), held a separate stakeholders’ engagement meeting with the indigenes and residents living along the corridors of the two erosion sites to kick-start the formation of Community Association (CA) and Site Committee (SC) executives, being prerequisite for supervision and monitoring exercise of the projects, in Okpanam, during the weekend.
The State Project Coordinator of NEWMAP, Mr Benedict Nwaokocha, told the indigenes and residents of Okpanam that the entry of NEWMAP into the community has signalled the commencement of the projects.
Mr. Nwaokocha, informed the residents that the partnership project between the Delta State Government and the European Investment Bank was people-oriented and programmed to commence and end within set timelines.
He said the agency had deleanated the upper, middle and lower catchment areas of the two erosions (gullies) sites based on topography, disclosing that the preliminary works, including Engineering Designs, Baseline Studies and Catchment Management Plan (CMP) will soon commence, preparatory to the civil engineering works.
The NEWMAP Project Coordinator, who was in company of the Safeguards Unit of the Project, including the Environment, Social-Livelihood and Communication Departments, appealled to would-be Site Committees of the project to show selfless commitment by way of participation and community engagement pursuant to the success of the intervention.
Stakeholders who spoke during the NEWMAP – community engagement meeting, including Pastor Joel Idolor,
applauded Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, for giving approval for the commencement of engineering designs and civil works in the catastrophic Amachai/Ogbeozoma and Vanguard Area Erosion Sites of Okpanam Community, located in the heart of the State Capital Territory.
The indigenes and residents who narrated the havoc and wanton destruction of property, leading to loss of lives caused by the ravaging flood when it rains, pledged to give their full cooperation to the agency for the benefit of the affected Communities.
