Bauchi govt to receive N30bn collateral from World Bank to tackle flood

The state government will receive a N30 billion intervention from the World Bank to help combat environmental problems caused by flood disasters in various local government areas of Bauchi State during the rainy season.

This was revealed on Saturday by Dr Kabir Ibrahim, Director-General of Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency (BASEPA), at the start of sand evacuation in Cheledi, Kirfi Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

Flooding was rife in the state, according to Ibrahim, and it had wreaked havoc on many local government areas, including Kirfi.

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According to him, the devastation caused by flooding was so enormous that the state government solicited the support of the World Bank in order to tackle the menace.

The BASEPA boss informed that the state government had agreed to pay N1 billion as its own counterpart fund, adding that this had been captured in the state’s 2022 budget proposal.

“We know that the state government cannot do it alone. That is why we asked for World Bank intervention funding, which they promised after paying the counterpart fund and it is one of the state government priorities at the moment,” Dr Ibrahim said.

In his remarks, the chairman of Kirfi LGA, Garba Musa Bara, said people of the area were determined to contribute their quota to the evacuation exercise with a view to avoiding the disaster it could cause.

According to the council boss, “We have been able to get the listening ears of the DG BASEPA, who mobilised to come here and evacuate the sand that is a menace to us from our pathways.

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“We have made arrangements to run away from what would eventually bring such disaster in the future.”

On his part, the district head of Cheledi, Alhaji Sale Bello, commended the state governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, for his prompt action and self-response during the last flooding in Kirfi communities.

Bello assured that the people of the area are always ready to abide by the laws of the land and respect constituted authority as well.

He explained that the sand evacuation exercise was timely, considering the fact that the harvesting period had commenced, while people were also preparing for the next line of action for irrigation farming.