By Aliyu Dangida
As part of it’s continued effort to provide lasting solution to the annual state perennial flooding bedeviling the state, Jigawa State government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with experts, KWT and AVECO DE BONDT of Netherlands aimed at tackling the natural disaster.
This was contained in a press statement issued and signed by Jigawa state commissioner of special duties Hon. Auwalu D. Sankara, said the devastating flood has killed over 120 people and destroyed properties worth several billions of Naira in 2020.
The statement explained that, the signing ceremony was held at the Nigerian Embassy in Hague on Tuesday, 9th May, 2023.
The state governor Alhaji Muhammad Badaru Abubakar signed the MOU on behalf of Jigawa in the presence of Her Excellency Dr. Eniola Olaitan Ajayi, the Ambassador of Nigeria to Netherlands, the Chairman of Nigeria-Dutch Business Association and other stakeholders.
According to the statement, Governor Badaru has expressed optimism that the collaboration with the Dutch experts will bring lasting solution to the flooding ravaging the state for decades.
Governor Abubakar quoted as saying that “flooding is the major natural disaster that has been one of the contributory factors affecting the economic development of the state and creating untold hardship to the people.
“We are committed to finding a lasting solution to this problem, and we are confident that the expertise of KWT and AVECO DE BONDT will be instrumental in achieving this goal.” He added.
The Director General of the Jigawa state Due Process and Project Monitoring Bureau, Ado Hussaini, also expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership, saying, “We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with the Dutch experts to find a permanent solution to the problem of flooding in our state.”
The Dutch experts, in turn gave their assurances of their readiness to work with the Jigawa State Government technical team to tackle the flooding in the state.
“We are excited to be partnering with the Jigawa State Government in this project. We are confident that our expertise in flood prevention and protection will be beneficial to the people of Jigawa State,” said a representative of KWT.
Hotpen reports that, in 2022 over 120 people killed over 100,000 displaced while public infrastructures including roads, hospitals, schools and farmland worth billion of Naira were destroyed by the flood and rainstorm.
