Former Project Coordinator of the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) in Enugu State, Dr Vincent Egechukwu Obetta, has denied allegations that ₦60 billion was approved, released and awarded as contracts for four erosion control sites in Enugu North Senatorial District.

DAILY POST recalls that a civil rights group had dragged NEWMAP and the Federal Ministry of Environment to court, alleging that the funds were spent despite the abandonment of the projects located in the senatorial district.

The case is currently before the Enugu Division of the Court of Appeal after the Federal High Court declined to compel NEWMAP and the ministry to release their contract records to the plaintiffs.

Reacting on Monday, Obetta described the allegation as false and misleading, saying it was based on the imagination of those promoting the claim.

He explained that only one erosion control contract was awarded under the NEWMAP-IDA programme in the entire Enugu North Senatorial District. According to him, the contract covered the Onuiyi-Nsukka section of the gully erosion control project and was valued at approximately ₦1.4 billion.

Obetta stated that the Alor-Uno section of the project did not receive the required “no objection” from the World Bank and was therefore not approved for execution by the state government.

He explained that the procurement process under NEWMAP-IDA required the World Bank’s no-objection approval, clearance from the state Executive Council, a call for bids and the bidding process before a contractor could be selected.

According to him, none of these procedures was completed for the other proposed project sites apart from the Onuiyi-Nsukka section.

He specifically listed the following sites as projects for which contracts were not awarded:

• Alor-Uno section of the Onuiyi-Nsukka/Alor-Uno gully erosion site.
• Imiliki-Etiti gully erosion site.
• Anyazurum Ohom-Orba gully erosion site.

Obetta maintained that the Enugu State Government did not award contracts for the sites because the World Bank did not issue the required approval.

He further stated that NEWMAP-IDA closed in September 2022, adding that all financial and fiduciary obligations were audited and discharged during the project’s winding-up process, with the World Bank certifying the outcome.

“Following the closure of NEWMAP-IDA, all unutilized fund was duly refunded by the state in line with the World Bank Service Loan Agreement,” he said.

The former coordinator added that Enugu State received a Letter of Credence from the World Bank in recognition of its financial accountability and transparency in implementing the programme.

He also disclosed that his performance as project coordinator was recognised by the World Bank and the National Project Management Unit of NEWMAP-IDA, earning him an award as the Best Performing Project Coordinator in the agency set-up.

Obetta insisted that the relevant procurement records for the Enugu NEWMAP-IDA programme were available and could be examined to establish the facts surrounding the projects.