Oyo Govt Conducts Final Checks for Anti-Erosion Project, Seeks Resident Support

The Oyo State Government has kicked off its final inspection of key project sites as it gears up for construction under the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project, funded by the European Investment Bank (NEWMAP-EIB). This move aims to tackle gully erosion, flooding, and waterway blockages that have long disrupted communities.

Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Hon. Ademola Aderinto, led the tour across Ebu Angelu in Atiba Local Government, Obananko/Cele in Oyo West, and Maje in Oluyole. He stressed that these checks follow prior joint assessments with NEWMAP-EIB experts to map environmental risks and plan interventions effectively.​

Project Goals and Challenges

The initiative targets stormwater management, land reclamation from erosion, and climate change mitigation by fixing faulty culverts and waterways. These issues have split communities, stalled businesses, and harmed livelihoods, with flooding claiming lives in some spots.

Aderinto voiced alarm over violations like building outside approved plans, open defecation near rivers, and refuse dumping in drains—habits that doom infrastructure. He cautioned that such behaviors could wreck the new works soon after completion, urging strict waste management, sanitation, and regulation compliance.​

Local leaders, including Atiba’s Hon. Wahab Waliy Adetunji, Oyo West’s Hon. Salami Akeem Babatunde, and Oluyole’s Engr. Akeem Olatunji, backed the effort. They highlighted how poor connectivity and floods have battered their areas and vowed to enforce rules for project longevity.​

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Broader NEWMAP-EIB Context

NEWMAP-EIB, a national climate adaptation program, focuses on erosion control, watershed management, and livelihood boosts across states like Oyo. It promises benefits for over 750,000 Nigerians and 25,000 jobs, building on earlier Oyo inspections since late 2025.

Accompanied by Project Coordinator Barr. Tayo Ayoade and Oyo NEWMAP-EIB team, Aderinto called for community buy-in to sustain gains. This phase marks a pivotal step toward resilient infrastructure in erosion-prone zones.