The Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project: Your Questions Answered

Question: What is the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project (IUFMP)?

Answer: The Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project is a response to the devastating flood of 2011 in Ibadan. The project aims to create a robust flood risk management system in Ibadan.

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Question: How is the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project funded?

Answer: The Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project is partly funded by a World Bank loan of $200 million which was secured by the former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi in 2014. The total amount for the project is $220 million. So, the Oyo State Government would contribute $20 million. The Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project commenced in February 2015.

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Question: Did the World Bank cancel the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project?

Answer: No. The World Bank did not cancel the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project. The project is ongoing.

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Question: What was the status of the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project when the current administration assumed office in May 2019?

Answer: On June 7, 2019, nine days after Governor Seyi Makinde assumed office, the World Bank released an Implementation Status and Results report of the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project in which it stated that “The Project has shown moderately satisfactory signs of progress. 4 of the 18 ongoing works have been completed. Eleyele Dam rehabilitation (20%), and the 13 Priority Sites (5%) remain ongoing. In addition, the Early Warning and Response System inception report has now been completed. The contractor for the First Pool of Long Term Investments (Lots 1 and 2) has been selected. Lot 3 and 4 of long-term investments detailed designs and bidding documents are close to completion.”

So, from February 2015, the effective commencement date of the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project to June 2019, only 4 of the 18 projects earmarked had been completed while the remaining 14 were at 5-20% completion.

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Question: What has been achieved in the past two years under the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project?

Answer: On June 28, 2021, the World Bank released an Implementation Status and Results report of the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project in which it noted the following achievements:

• All 18 priority rehabilitation sites have now been completed, including the Eleyele Dam rehabilitation;
• As of date, the number of direct project beneficiaries has reached 118,014 well exceeding its end-of-project (EOP) target of 36,600;
• The completion of the restoration works of the Eleyele Dam has provided protection to a population of 7,925 against the EOP target of 5,065;
• 9,000ha of land has been protected from the 25 year return period of flood event against the EOP target of 3,500ha;
• 17 flood prone sites have made flood resilient in Ibadan;
• Flood Risk Management and drainage master plan, solid waste master plan have been completed.

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Question: Was the loan facility of $50 million for the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project cancelled by the World Bank because of undue interference by Governor Seyi Makinde in the contract award process for projects under the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project?

Answer: At the beginning of August 2021, the World Bank communicated that had decided not to fund the second pool of Long Term Investment (PLTI2) (Lot 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B). The June 28, 2021, Implementation Status and Results report indicates why the loan facility was withdrawn. As reproduced below, the Oyo State Government’s failure to meet safeguards compliance requirements led to a delay in awarding contracts for PLTI2. Consequently, the contracts if awarded would not be able to meet the June 30, 2022 deadline for the end of the project.

The report notes these challenges:

• “The implementation of First Pool of Long-Term Investment (Lot 1 and 2) has experienced significant delays and will not delivered within current contract period;
• Though No Objection was issued on Second Pool of Long-Term Investment (PLTI2) (Lot 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B) awarding of contract has delayed due to safeguards compliance requirements posing a big challenge to deliver PLTI2 within the remaining project period;
• The Flood Risk Management & Drainage Masterplan and Solid Waste Management Master Plan have been finalized but there is no legal framework to facilitate operationalization; and
• Asset Management Plan, Early Warning and Response System and Dredging strategy are still to be delivered.”

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Question: What are safeguards compliance requirements?

Answer: Safeguards compliance requirements are assessments and due diligence conducted to evaluate the environmental impact of the project. A safeguard data sheet by the World Bank for the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project can be viewed here.

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From the above it is clear that the World Bank’s decision to withdraw funding for PLTI2 was because of safeguards compliance requirement which made it highly unlikely that the projects if awarded would be completed within the project timeframe of June 30, 2022 (the end of the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project as partly funded by the World Bank).

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Question: What will happen to the proposed projects under the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project which are no longer eligible to be financed by the World Bank loan of $50 million?

Answer: The Oyo State Government will seek alternative funding to ensure that all proposed projects under the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project are duly completed.