By: Eseosa Onaiwu
It was a moment of flawless victory as the Edo State Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) emerged the World Bank’s overall best-performing State since the Project’s inception in 2012, defeating 22 other States in the event held at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The impact of the project’s interventions over the years is commendable and place Edo at the centre in terms of rapid development as well as preservation of the State’s infrastructure.
The Edo NEWMAP also came out tops in the categories of ‘Best in Disbursement/Engineering/Civil Works/Bio-Engineering’ and ‘Best in Counterpart Funding’. These are in addition to coming out as runner-up in several other categories.
The Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi, who was represented by his Special Assistant, Abdullahi Abdullahi, while commending Edo State for her exceptional performance, hailed the Project Coordinator, Dr. Tom Obaseki, for his expertise in steering the affairs of the project since 2012.
Dr. Obaseki while receiving the awards, alongside members of the project’s monitoring unit and the management team, expressed gratitude to the World Bank and the Federal Ministry of Environment for providing the opportunity for the Edo State Government to enhance the well-being of the people.
He also did not fail to commend the Governor of the State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki for his unalloyed support and commitment to the Project which has served as a major backbone for the successful interventions across the State.
The award ceremony organized by the World Bank and the Ministry of Environment, was aimed at recognizing outstanding States, who through the Project, have transformed the lives of residents of communities positively, ensured environmental sustainability through erosion and watershed management infrastructure investments, climate change response and project management among others.
It is a thing of pride to say that Edo NEWMAP has lived up to expectations of the World Bank, the Federal Ministry of Environment as well as the indigenes and residents of the State.
Some areas of interventions of the project in the three Senatorial Districts of the State include Fugar and Igbe in Edo North; Ewu in Edo Central; Ogiso Quarters and Ekehuan Road Gully in Edo South.
