The sum of N120 million has been earmarked by the Bauchi State Government for desilting and fumigation exercise of culverts within various communities across the Twenty Local Government Areas of the state.
The disclosure was made by State Governor, Sen Bala Mohammed during the flagging off of the exercise within the Bauchi metropolis held on Saturday to mark the end of the month of environmental sanitation.
The Governor said that the desilting exercise is a community-based driving exercise and part of efforts to improve the healthy living conditions of the citizens through community engagement.
The Governor was represented at the occasion by the Commissioner of Housing and Environment Rt Honourable Dan’lami Kawule.
“The Governor has also directed the State Environmental Sanitation Agency (BASEPA) to desilt all the culverts in Bauchi state and fumigate within and around all the Twenty local governments that would be receiving this exercise.”
He also directed Bauchi State Project Management Unit of Agro Climatic Resilient in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) to finance the very important exercise.
“And as you can see, we unveiled the program here in Kobi Street and we are going to do it across Bauchi local government.
“As am talking to you now, we have deployed all relevant stakeholders that are going to work in various local government areas, the Directors and the Desk Officers are also on ground to support during the three-day exercise,” he said.
The ACReSAL Project Coordinator, Dr Ibrahim Kabir while answering questions shortly after the flagged-off, said that at this level, the sanitation agency needs that and requested the Governor to approve the fund for that, saying, “As far as we are concerned, this is the right time.”
He added, “We are not only evacuating the drainages for the free flow of the water but every water the sewage system and whatever, so is not let and I believe you are going to see the impact of this exercise”
Ibrahim Kabir stressed; “And I want to tell you, scientifically most of the water that we received at the early onset of rainy season and also towards the end of the season that is where we have problems because they are torrential in nature and they come with certain diseases and issues related to environment.”
The Director General of Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency (BASEPA), Dr Bose Mahmud maintained that the Agency has a policy with a lot of community engagements where the communities desilted drainages, so this is not the first time.
According to him, “This is almost the third or fourth time we are doing this desilting exercise, and the agency is committed and fully ready to see the successful of the exercise”
He stressed, “We have our technical team on ground, we have deployed them to all the identified areas, we are working with all the stakeholders and local government Chairpersons and the Directors as well”
Representative of all Bauchi communities, Abubakar Nuhu from Ajiya community within Bauchi and environs thanked the state Governor, Sen Bala Mohammed for his commitment towards environmental issues saying, “We are the representative of the people here, to complement this effort by the state Governor.
“At the community level, we will ensure our support and cooperation during the exercise and together with all youths from the communities they come from, and we make sure all culverts were evacuated thoroughly”
“And we will be vigilant and supervise the whole exercise till the end of the three days as planned.”
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