By Abel Daniel, Lafia

The Nasarawa State Government, in collaboration with Agro-Climate Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL), has awarded contracts worth over ₦9 billion to two firms for the construction of stormwater drainage systems in flood-affected communities. The initiative aims to increase food production and mitigate flood disasters in the state.

The State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, alongside ACReSAL, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bauhaus Global Investment Nigeria Limited/ICCO and Consolidated Engineering and Trading Company on Thursday in Lafia.

Speaking at the MoU signing, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Dr. Garba Rosha-Mohammed, highlighted the importance of the project.

“This initiative reflects the state’s commitment to enhancing environmental resilience and infrastructural development to tackle the effects of climate change, support farmers, and boost food security,” he said.

Dr. Rosha-Mohammed commended Governor Abdullahi Sule for his proactive approach to addressing flood-related challenges in the state.

The State Project Coordinator of ACReSAL, Dr. Napoleon Gyobe Elias, revealed that the contracts were awarded to the most responsive bidders.

Lot 1: Covers Lafia and Doma Local Government Areas. It will cost ₦6,183,986,694.03 and will be handled by Bauhaus Global Investment Nigeria Limited/ICCO.

Lot 2: Covers Toto Local Government Area. It will cost ₦3,425,896,095.35 and will be managed by Consolidated Engineering and Trading Company.

Dr. Elias stated that the first lot would take 18 months to complete, while the second lot would be completed within 12 months.

Dr. Elias noted that affected residents along the project corridors have been profiled and that compensation payments have commenced.

“The World Bank, under which ACReSAL operates, has allocated about ₦2.4 billion as compensation to those affected. Some recipients have already started receiving their payments,” he said.

The stormwater drainage systems are expected to address flooding issues in the communities and provide irrigation systems for agricultural activities.

The contractors assured the state government of their commitment to adhering to the project’s terms and conditions.