… As State Govt, FG, World Bank Partner to End Flood Menace
As construction giants within and outside Nigeria express interest in the infrastructure consolidation agenda of the Akwa Ibom State Government, the government has stressed its commitment to a holistic approach to tackling flood and erosion in the State.
The State Commissioner for Environment and Mineral Resources, Barrister Ekong Sampson, made the position known while addressing prospective contractors in a Pre-bid meeting for the construction of surface & underground drainage structure for collection & final discharge of metropolis flood water at IBB Way, Uyo, held at the premises of the State office of the Nigeria Erosion & Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP).
The Environment Commissioner thanked the World Bank and the Federal Government for partnering Akwa Ibom State Government through the NEWMAP to salvage the flood situation on the IBB Way and the environs.
He expressed confidence in the NEWMAP and said the partnership was important as it would help to address some pressing infrastructure challenges the state is faced with.
“In Akwa Ibom State, we face major problems with flood and erosion. As at the last count, we had close to a thousand sites in the State. That is to say, we are under pressure. Engagements like this will help us implement our policies and our commitment to addressing the problem of flood and erosion,” Ekong Sampson said.
Barr. Ekong Sampson said the contract award process will be driven by transparency, stressing that State Government will not compromise speed and efficiency in the IBB Way flood control project, given Governor Emmanuel’s commitment to quality service delivery in solving flood menace in the State.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment and Petroleum Resources, Pharm. Mbuk Inyang, reiterated the State Government’s to transparency and accountabiliy in the project, adding that contractors should ask all necessary questions and do their best in the bidding, as the IBB Way project contract is not such that any person can aid a contractor’s emergence.
The State Coordinator of NEWMAP, Dr. Ubong Harrison, thanked the construction companies for indicating interest in the project. He expressed confidence that with the commitment of the World Bank, Federal Government of Nigeria and Akwa Ibom State government o the project, the highest standards and transparency will be maintained in the contract awards.
Representative of the NEWMAP Federal Project Management Unit, Mr. Umolo Ugwah, said the bid was still open, explaining that holding the pre-bid meeting four weeks to closing is a requirement for such process, in line be with international procedure. He said the bid closing date for the project remains October 15 and that the project will still be open for bid till then.
The Project Engineer, Engr. Akaninyene Henry, in his analysis, described the IBB Way flood control project as a major feat, as that the project will provide a major evacuation channel to a number of surrounding communities.
Engr. Henry affirmed that upon completion of the IBB flood control project, about a third of the flood problems within Uyo metropolis would have been solved.
In his words: “We believe that if that project is completed, we must have at least solved one-third of the flood problem in Uyo Capital City. The reason being that, if we have the main channel in place, it will be very easy for us to connect other areas that may not even form part of this project at the moment. When the main channel is in place, it will be easy to connect other problem areas and channel the flow to the main channels which is 1BB”.
Speaking on behalf of the contractors and prospective bidders, Engr. Adedajo Adefemi, Heartland/NBHH Joint Ventures commended NEWMAP and the State Government for the attention given to them and the levelled playing ground created for them which, he said, will make them bring out their best in the bidding process.
Highpoint of the event was inspection of the flood site on IBB Way and adjourning areas covered in the project scope of Contract No. AKS/PMU/CW/RFB/19/01 by representatives of construction companies and prospective contractors, led by the joint team of the State Munistry of Environment and Petroleum Resources and NEWMAP officials.
