Erosion control failures threaten Ilorin residents

Abdulganiy Adebayo, a car dealer at Gaa Imam Adisco along Ilorin – Ajase Ipo road used to have a bubbling business. But not until a portion of the road began to cave in. This, he said, paralyzed his business as it was no longer possible for him to openly display cars by the roadside to attract customers.

Fiolu Aina, a store owner in the area is usually overwhelmed with the fear of witnessing another fatal accident, especially whenever it rains, due to the dilapidated road caused by poorly constructed erosion control project in the area.

The Adisco Gaa–Imam erosion control along Ilorin-Ajasse – Ipo road, was meant to channel water for the safety of residents and road users. But, at present, the reverse is the case, as the surge of water coming into the drainage is more than its capacity, forcing overflow water to create a ditch on the highway.

“That ditch on the highway has been there since when I was carrying this my girl’s pregnancy, and she is about five years now. That portion has claimed lives of some children, and a driver also fell into it–thank God he didn’t die” Madam Fiolu narrated.

According to residents of Adisco Gaa– Imam area and, Gaa–Akanbi, Royal Shekinah–Omosebi area in Ilorin South, there are sorrowful tales to tell over the years due to floods in the area. One of such incidences still fresh in the minds of many residents was that of few years ago, which led to the deaths of two young siblings and some other persons.

About 20 vehicles were also said to have been washed away in the flood and many business owners in the area lost millions of naira. Despite all these sad tales, Adisco –Gaa Imam – Royal Shekinah area in llorin remains notorious for flooding and traffic gridlock whenever it rains, as water takes over the highway.

Considering government’s intervention on the road, flooding problem in the area ought to have been a thing of the past. In 2017, former Senate President and Senator representing Kwara Central at the National Assembly, Dr. Bukola Saraki facilitated the construction of an erosion control and drainage along the area, which was supervised by the Federal Ministry of Environment.

Residents React on the project

Residents Lament Poor Project When Radio Nigeria visited the community in October, Mr. Teslim Abubakar, a fashion designer narrated with emotions, how a man was swept away by flood two years ago, as water overtook the bridge constructed to combat it.

“The erosion control is poorly constructed. The drainage is often submerged by water whenever it rains. Just last week, customers’ clothes in my shop were soaked in water. And people always get stranded on the road whenever there is heavy downpour as water takes over this place,” Mr. Abubakar lamented.

The Mogaji (Community leader of) Oke Gaa–Imam, Alhaji Isiaka Opeloyeru, and Secretary of the community, Alhaji Saadu Ibrahim, said the caved in portion of the expressway, which is unconnected to the drainage system, as well as high volume of water coming into the drainage, is beyond the capacity of the erosion control.

He also pointed out that erection of warehouse complex and worship center along the water channel, is a serious concern for the community. “On many occasions, different government officials have visited this area, but nothing is being done” the secretary regretted.

Senate President Erosion Control Intervention Project

According to a document on Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC), a procurement monitoring body for transparency and accountability in governance, N11,675,062 was proposed for the construction of erosion control at the Adisco Gaa Imam, Oko–Erin Ilorin Kwara State under code ENVIRT018013443 at the Federal Ministry of Environment in 2015.

The Director of Community Impact and Assessments at the Abubakar Bukola Saraki, (ABS) Foundation, Engr. Olayinka Ibrahim Otukoko, affirmed that in 2017, Dr. Bukola Saraki facilitated the project which was a culvert at the untarred road that leads to Gaa–Imam and an erosion control project from the front of Adisco bus-stop, down to the Gaa–Imam community.

He explained that the project was all handled by the Federal Ministry of Environment, from procurement to execution stages. He said there is no document regarding the construction with his office.

However, he suggested that to solve the flooding problem in the area, erosion control system has to be constructed from the Royal Shekinah Hotel axis, where high volume of water is coming from; because the culvert does not have the capacity to bear the surge of water coming into it, thereby causing the road to cave in.

Impact of Climate Change

on September 11, 2024, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, called for immediate collective action to address the severe floodings that have affected millions of people across Nigeria, and underscored the urgent need to tackle the impacts of climate change.

According to a data released to Radio Nigeria, in Kwara State, (alone) between January to October 2024, 16,537 people were affected by flood across seven local government areas of Asa, Edu, Ilorin East, Kaiama, Moro, Patigi and Ifelodun in, with 115 deaths recorded.

Letter from Kwara State Emergency Management Agency

Meanwhile, according to data from National Bureau of Statistics, Kwara State received N584.87 million as ecological funds within 12 months from (June 2023 to May 2024), out of N36.9 billion shared to the 36 states of the federation from the Federation Account Allocation Committee, (FAAC), to address ecological issues.

Federal Ministry of Environment Keeps Mum Over Contract Information

When Radio Nigeria visited the Kwara State office of the Federal Ministry of Environment, in Ilorin, one Mr. Abdullah stated that only the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja that could provide the project contract details and documents sought by the reporter.

In furtherance of the investigation, a Freedom of Information, (FOI) letter requesting adequate information on the project details, was written to the Minister, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mr. Balarabe Lawal on 25th October 2024.

The FOI sought for a detailed information and documents on funding and implementation of the project. The FOI requests specifically, the copy of the contract approval letter, the contract sum, budget sum, duration and completion date of the said contract–including details of the construction company that handled the project.

After more than a Month, as of November 27, 2024, the Ministry has yet to respond to the request.

FOI request letter

Absence of Project Description

At the site of the erosion control, there was no trace of signpost description for the project said to be constructed in 2017, to either give the public details of the government’s ministry that supervised the construction, the construction company that executed it, or the period of implementation.

Expert Faults “Selected Work” Executed

Done A Civil Engineer, Abdulfatai Azeez, who assessed the erosion control when Radio Nigeria visited the area in October 2024, faulted the construction of the erosion control (only) on one side of the road without a corresponding expansion from across the road with a ‘high’ bridge, to accommodate the surge of water from Gaa–Akanbi side to Gaa–Imam area; which is on the other end of the road.

Engr Azeez also observed that a V–shaped erosion control ought to have been put in place instead of the U–shaped erosion control done. “If you look at the back of those Storey buildings where the water is more culminated– just beside that hotel, you will see that the drainage that will solve the problem needs to be wider, and the pillar for the culvert should be well raised.

Likewise, the one across the road at Gaa–Imam,” he noted.

Bureau of Lands Looks Away

While residents battle flooding, new structures of a warehouse complex and worship center are being erected on the bank of the stream along the erosion control. This development, according to Mogaji Oke Gaa–Imam, Alhaji Opeloyeru, has affected one “Iya Eleko’s” house.

They said tenants of the said compound battle flooding whenever there is heavy downpour. However, when Radio Nigeria visited the Kwara State Bureau of Lands, in October, Mrs. Makanjuola, identified as the Head of Physical Planning, said the agency was yet to receive any complaint regarding issues of flooding as a result of the structures.

When asked if approval was given for the erection of the buildings, she affirmed that though the agency did not grant permission for any building on waterways, approval was given with some setbacks that the company needs to maintain. In a bid to ascertain the level of conformity to the approval given, Radio Nigeria sought the documents. Mrs. Makanjuola at this stage, queried the reporter’s right to seek the document:

“Why do you ask for such? No no no! You see… the community is at liberty to come and complain if the structures are affecting them. But as at this morning, there is no such complaints with the agency,” she blurted. Also, when Radio Nigeria visited the Federal Ministry of Works in Kwara State, the Controller of Works, Engr. Gana Zhitsu, stated that reconstruction work would soon commence on the portion of the road by the Federal Ministry of Works.

He explained that proposals had been written to the Ministry’s headquarter, notifying them of the dangerous condition of the road. An earlier visit to the State Ministry of Works and Transport revealed that the Kwara State Government had shown interest in the state of the road and the erosion control reconstruction, with a letter written to the Federal Ministry of Works to that effect, but the State government was told not to embark on the project, citing efforts in top gear to carry out the road reconstruction with expansion of the erosion control system.

The Permanent Secretary, Kwara State Ministry of Works and Transport, Alhaji Abdullahi Wahab affirmed that during the last raining season, some vehicles fell into the ditch. He stated further that the State Governor, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazak, who remains commitment to citizen’s welfare and safety of lives and property, showed interest in rehabilitation.

Government Should Fix Road Before More Accidents Occur – ENETSUD

A Civil Society Organisation on the vanguard of transparency and accountability in governance, Elite Network for Sustainable Development (ENETSUD), said it was aware of the development and called for action.

The Deputy Coordinator of the group, Comrade Lanre Osho said the community notified the group of their losses due to flooding, as they alleged that the hotel opposite the caved in road is sitting on erosion waterways, being the major reason for the perennial flooding.

He explained that the group had written the State Ministry of Works for urgent action before the situation causes more accidents. Comrade Osho tasked relevant stakeholders to meet the yearnings of the people and provide succor in good time.

Procurement Act Perspective

According to Section 16 of the Public Procurement Act (2007), the fundamental principles for procurement should be conducted with the aim of achieving value for money and fitness for purpose.

The erosion control project, however, failed to do this, as there is no value for public funds spent on the project despite gulping about 11 million Naira from the Federal Government’s purse.

The section states that: “Subject to any exemption allowed by this Act, all public procurement shall be conducted in a manner which is transparent, timely, equitable for ensuring accountability and conformity with this Act and regulations deriving therefrom; with the aim of achieving value for money and fitness for purpose.”

Meanwhile, section 58, sub-section 5, of the Act stipulates that any aberration to the act by either an officer of the Bureau, or by contractor, attracts imprisonment of not less than five calendar years, without any option of fine, and dismissal from government services.

It states that “Any person who, while carrying out his duties as an officer of the Bureau, or any procuring entity who contravenes any provision of this Act commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a cumulative punishment of : (a) a term of imprisonment of not less than 5 calendar years without any option of fine ; and (b) summary dismissal from government services”.

Call To Action

Residents Call for Road and Erosion Control Reconstruction Residents and Civil Society groups are urging both the Federal and Kwara State Governments to prioritize fixing the erosion control system and hold contractors accountable for doing a substandard work.

This report by Aminah Salako-Adekunle was facilitated by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) under its Collaborative Media Engagement for Development, Inclusivity and (CMEDIA) Project.

FRCN