Residents of Muye and more than 30 neighbouring communities in Lapai Local Government Area of Niger State have appealed to the Federal Government to provide additional funding to speed up an ongoing N700 million flood-control project.
The Village Head of Muye and Amana Kakanda, Alhaji Salihu Mohammad, made the appeal during an inspection of the embankment project being constructed by the National Hydro-Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC).
Mohammad said recurrent flooding had caused serious damage to farmlands, economic trees and houses, leaving many residents with repeated losses.
He said completing the embankment on time would protect communities from flooding and improve the livelihoods of residents.
“I appreciate N-HYPPADEC for the intervention. I appeal to the Federal Government to provide more funds so the project can be completed on time,” he said.
The N-HYPPADEC Managing Director, Abubakar Yelwa, represented by the Director of Finance and Administration, Haruna Gabi, said the inspection was aimed at assessing the progress and quality of work.
Yelwa said the contractor was working at the site, while consultants were monitoring the project to ensure compliance with approved standards.
He said the commission was aware of residents’ concerns following two previous unsuccessful attempts to construct an embankment in the area.
According to him, N-HYPPADEC has prioritised the project and mobilised the contractor to prevent unnecessary delays and variations.
Yelwa said the N700 million contract was being executed according to approved specifications and expressed satisfaction with the work so far.
The lawmaker representing Agaie/Lapai Federal Constituency, Abdullahi Mahmud, commended N-HYPPADEC for the intervention and urged residents to remain patient while government addresses flood-control needs in the area.
The contractor, through the site engineer, said some technical challenges had earlier affected the project but had been resolved. He assured the commission and residents that the embankment would be completed to the required standard.