FG Tackles Perennial Flooding As FCE Yola, Commissions Drainage System

By Tom Garba

The Federal Government on Saturday commissioned a road and stormwater drainage network constructed to stop perennial flooding in and around the premised of Federal College of Education (FCE), Yola.

According to officials of the college, life at the college was a nightmare for students and staff whenever rains start as the college would be flooded, with some areas being either difficult or entirely impossible to access.

The road and drainage project, which consists of a road crisscrossing much of the college premises complete with drainage lines, was executed by the Federal Government through the Ecological Fund Office in the Office of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).

As an extra, the road and drainage network comes with a solar-powered street lighting system to secure and add beauty to the FCE Yola campus.

Permanent Secretary of the Ecological Fund Office, Dr. Habiba Lawal, explained at the commissioning ceremony that the project was initiated through a request for urgent intervention forwarded to the Ecological Fund Office by the Provost of the FCE Yola to arrest the continuous erosion, flood and other ecological challenges of the college.

She said the commissioning and handing over of the project to the college is expected to achieve the dual purposes of enabling the host community to take over and exercise ownership of the project and ensure its maintenance.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha who represented President Muhammadu Buhari as Guest of Honour at the commissioning of the Road and Storm Water Drainage, said the FCE Yola project is one of 23 ecological interventions approved by President Buhari for the second quarter of 2018, and that the contract was awarded by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on November 28, 2018.

“The approval of this project by Mr. President is a testimony to the present administration’s promise that no part of the country will suffer neglect due to its geographical location or political consideration,” Boss Mustapha said.