Gombe Awards N2.9 Billion contract for Gully Erosion Control Project 

Then Gombe State Government has awarded a contract for the Gombe State University-Malam Inna erosion control works.

The project is worth over 2.9 billion naira and its being awarded to Triacta Nigeria Company, through the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project, NEWMAP.

The State Government says the project will address severe Gully Erosion problems in the short term, reduce vulnerability to soil erosion and climate variability in the medium term, such as the Aforestation of the state Government, the Gombe Goes Green Project.

Similarly, the project is to promote long-term climate resilience and low carbon development.

The Commissioner of Environment and Forest Resources, Dr. Hussaina Muhammad Goje, said the state had initially submitted 40 active erosion sites in the state to the World Bank for consideration and approval, but the bank approved only five priority sites for intervention.

“The Gombe State University to Malam-Inna Gully System, secondly, the FCTE Staff School to Wuro-Kesa Gully System in Akko, and also within the Gombe Metropolis, is the East of the Gombe International Hotel to behind the Gombe State House of Assembly Gully System, fourthly, is the Wuro-Bajoga to Barunde Bridge Gully System, which goes out to the Gbogo Area in the Gombe Metropolis and lastly and fifthly, is the East of the General Hospital, Kumo to the Jauro Tukur Stream, in Akko Local Government,”  Dr. Goje said.

She said the NEWMAP in Gombe state had already carried out detailed engineering designs for the two sites in the Gombe State University and the Federal College of Education Technical Staff School, while the process for the project designs of the remaining three sites were ongoing.

Dr. Hussaina Goje said the contract was awarded in accordance with the World Bank’s procurement regulations and guidelines to Triacta Nigeria, following the acceptance of the recommendation of the evaluation team by the World Bank.

 “The Company was found to be the most advantageous bidder having submitted the lowest responsive evaluated bid”, Dr. Goje.

The Commissioner commended Governor Inuwa Yahaya for his commitment towards achieving NEWMAP’s objectives in the state, which has reflected in the payment of counterpart contribution of 500 million naira by Gombe state Government.

The State Governor, Muhammadu  Yahaya, said the contract signining was a testament of his administration’s commitment to addressing the devastation caused by gullies.

The governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Ibrahim Njodi, said his administration had always been disturbed by the incessant flooding, caused by gullies, which have affected infrastructure, lives, property and people’s means of livelihoods.

He also said the contract signing was the culmination of the struggle to sustain the environment and protect lives and property through engagement with the World Bank and other development partners.

He said his administration would stop at nothing until the degraded environment was improved on and the menace of gullies addressed.

He called on the Gombe State NEWMAP and the State Ministry of Environment and Forest Resources to ensure that the company completes the job within the stipulated time and does not compromise standard in carrying out the work.

The Project Coordinator, Gombe State NEWMAP, Mr. Mohammed Garba, said the Gombe State University-Malam Inna Erosion Site consisted of 3 communities that include the State University, Malam-Inna and Kagarawal with a combined length of 4.4 kilometres.

He explained that the project was expected to be completed before June 2021.

In his remarks after signing the contract on behalf of the managing director of Triacta Nigeria, Mr. Imran Amin Khan, said his company had a long history of infrastructure relations with Gombe State and gave the assurance that the company would execute quality job within the agreed contract period and specifications.

Confidence Okwuchi