President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday inaugurated a 10 kilometre channelisation and desilting of flood prone Okomo and Ogbagba rivers in Osogbo, Osun state.
Buhari, who was represented at the event by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the project was executed by the Ecological Fund Office at a total cost of N2.156 billion.
The president disclosed that not less than 53 ecological and flood control projects had been completed by the administration across the country and ready for inauguration.
He reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to addressing ecological and other challenges in the country.
“Let me stress that the problems of erosion and flood menace along the Okoko and Ogbagba Rivers’ courses cannot be over-emphasised in view of their obvious negative consequences on lives and property in Osogbo Town.
“I have no doubt in my mind that the successful completion of these projects would enhance the holistic solutions to soil erosion and flood menace in Osogbo Town.
“This would at the same time reduce the dangers to lives and property associated with erosion and persistent flooding that have been experienced here in the recent time.
“Governance is about the people. The Federal Government is keenly aware of this, hence the ongoing massive investments across the country in projects that are of direct benefit to the citizens,” he said.
The President congratulated the Ecological Fund Office, which executed the 10 kilometres erosion control project and the consultants for a job well done.
Buhari urged the host community and the state government to guard the project jealously and to take ownership of it, thus ensuring its maintenance and sustainability.
The President reiterated the commitment of the administration to continue to execute projects that will
benefit the people across the country’s six geo-political zones.
He disclosed that the Administration had spent over N1.3 trillion on infrastructural projects from 2016 till date.
The president officially handed over the completed project to the state governor, Rauf Aregbesola.
In a remark, the governor thanked the Federal Government for the project assuring that it would be guarded jealously.
He said prior to its execution many lives had been lost and billions of property destroyed by erosion, adding that the people would breath a sigh of relief.
Aregbesola charged the host community not to turn the site to refuse dump and sewage.
He disclosed that the 15 hectares of flood plains on both sides of the project would be converted to all-year-round vegetable plantation for women.
