Th e Akwa Ibom State Government yesterday said it has secured N32 billion loan from the World Bank to control fl ood and erosion in the state. Governor Udom Emmanuel disclosed this in Uyo when he declared open a two-day workshop on “Enhancing Disaster Management in Akwa Ibom State.” Represented by his Deputy, Moses Ekpo, Mr. Emmanuel said that disasters do not respect climes or geopolitical locations, adding that they could only be subdued by knowledge and preparedness. According to him, the state government has not relented in embarking on several measures to address the menace of erosion and fl ooding across the state to alleviate the plight of the people. “Th e Government has successfully secured collaboration with the World Bank for a N32
billion project which would be executed in partnership with the Nigerian Erosion and Watershed Management project to control fl ood and erosion in the state. “My administration in the last two years has placed premium on eff orts at interventions during moments of disasters such as fi re outbreaks, building collapse, fl oods and windstorm,” Mr. Emmanuel said. Th e governor added that the state government had spent about N100 million to provide relief materials to disaster victims in the last one year. Mr. Emmanuel said that the workshop would raise priority index of disaster management approach to create a corporate safety consciousness among people of the state. In his remarks, the DirectorGeneral, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mustapha Maihaja, commended the state government for organising the workshop. Mr. Maihaja, who was represented by Ben Oghenah, offi cial of the agency, said that lessons from the workshop should be used to encourage other states. He said that NEMA would continue to come to the rescue of people in disaster period.
