The Minister, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has commended the efforts of the Ecological Fund Office of the Office of the Secretary of the Federation for its intervention efforts in curtailing the flood and erosion challenges at Ashara/Wako, in Kwali Area Council.
Malam Bello said this at the commissioning ceremony of erosion control bridge and road improvement works at Ashara-Wako.
The Minister also commended the efforts of the traditional ruler of the area, Etsu Yaba, His royal Highness Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu whom he described as a great leader. The traditional ruler, the Minister said was unrelenting in his pursuit of the project, saying that the Etsu followed up the matter with personal visits, phone calls and text messages till the project was executed.
He also commended the traditional ruler for being a believer in the policies of President Muhammadu Buhari and berated those who he said pretended to be with the President but really did not support him.
The Minister also extended appreciation to the Permanent Secretary, Ecological Fund Office, Dr. Habiba Lawal, for her commitment to the project’s successful completion.
He said: “I really want to say that this successful project has many fathers and mothers. The number one mother of this project is Dr Habiba Lawal. We thank you very much.”
While commending the contractors of the project, Messr Masarki Nigeria Limited, Malam Bello, painted a vivid picture of what the place used to be like before the intervention.
He said, “ When I came here, we couldn’t have stood where we are standing today because it was all marshland full of water. Water was gushing from everywhere and you see vehicles parked on the other side because there was no way they could cross. But to God almighty, we are happy that under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, this has come to stay. This embankment and the bridge by the grace of God, is going to outlast all of us here”.
The Minister however stressed that it was very important that the community take ownership of the projects and ensure proper maintenance construction. He therefore appealed to the Area Council chairmen of Abaji and Kwali to ensure that sand does not collect in the drainage and block it thereby leading once more to erosion. “You also have to make sure that under the culverts is always clear so that there is free flow of water, or else, debris will continue to sediment there and stay there”.
Earlier in her address, the Permanent Secretary, Ecological Funds Office, Dr. Habiba Lawal had said that the project was initiated by the request of FCT Minister to President Muhammadu Buhari in order to arrest the continuous flooding of the river bank and the erosion of the bridge embankment at the Ashara/Warko river and also to restore the vehicular movement that was affected sometime in October 2018.
The Minister then proceeded to pay a visit to the Etsu Yaba in his residence.
