Orashi River dredging: Nigerian Navy presents Impact Assessment outcome, recommendations to Imo Governor

BY JENNIFER JOHN / OWERRI

Nigerian Navy, yesterday, at the New Executive Council Chambers of Imo State Government House, presented the outcome and recommendations of its impact assessment of the proposed dredging of Oguta Lake-Urashi River, through Degema, to the Atlantic Ocean to Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma.

Presenting the report, HYDROGAPHER of the Federation Rear Admiral AO Olugbode said the Nigerian Navy provided the requisite expertise exercise, while the Imo State Government provided the funding.

Olugbode made it clear that Governor Uzodimma is one of the first governors in Nigeria to identify with the aspiration.

“With what was undertaking on the privileged survey to establish the Sea access route from Oguta lake, through Urashi River, to the Atlantic Ocean we have made a well detailed recommendations .

Responding, Governor Uzodimma expressed joy that both the former President, Muhammadu Buhari and then Chief of Naval Staff bought into the project and the current President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Chief of Naval Staff have adopted it.

He said with the completion of the hydrographic survey of the project, the government will carry out the recommended impact assessment and then commence the dredging proper in no distant time.

Uzodimma promised that the private sector will be involved to make the project work, disclosing that the dredging project will be localized.

“We are already making progress, will will continue to make progress. These are the kind of things I want Imo politicians to be discussing, and not only how you are going to make Imo safe when you are behind the insecurity.

Editor

Jude Ossai (JP) a veteran journalist is a National Diploma holder in Mass Communication from Ogwashi-Uku Polytechnic Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State. He also studied at Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Enugu and Imo State University, Owerri for his first and second degrees in Mass Communication, respectively. He writes extensively on politics, crime, corruption, climate change, healthcare, human rights, social justice, among others.