Oyo govt completes NEWMAP-EIB site inspection, okays project implementation
By Adejayan Gbenga
The Oyo State Government has concluded the final inspection of proposed project sites under the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEW MAP) supported by the European Investment Bank (EIB), therefore paving the way for the commencement of construction works across the state.
Leading the inspection team, the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Ademola Aderinto, described the exercise as the final stage in evaluating locations selected for the intervention project.
Aderinto noted that the completion of the inspection indicates the state’s readiness to take-off the initiative aimed at tackling erosion and environmental degradation in vulnerable communities.
He noted that the intervention is expected to bring much-needed relief to residents of affected areas that have been grappling with persistent erosion and related environmental challenges.
The commissioner attributed the successful completion of the preparatory processes to the support of the State Governor, Seyi Makinde, noting that the administration has prioritised environmental sustainability, erosion control and climate change adaptation.
During the inspection exercise, the team engaged with residents and community stakeholders in the project-affected areas, many of whom expressed appreciation to the state government and optimism that the intervention would provide lasting solutions to their environmental concerns.
Aderinto also called for continued cooperation from residents, urging them to desist from certain harmful practices such as open defecation and indiscriminate dumping of refuse around streams and waterways, warning that such actions could undermine erosion control measures.
Sites inspected during the visit included Aborerin Stream in Eruwa in Ibarapa East, Fedomu Stream in Igbeti in Olorunsogo, and erosion sites within Ladoke Akintola University of Technology in Ogbomoso.
