Benin is set to receive US $100m grant from International Development Association (IDA), a subsidiary of the World Bank, to support a flood control project in Benin’s economic capital Cotonou.
Katrina Sharkey, World Bank Operations Manager for Benin confirmed the reports and said the project aims at making Cotonou spared from being affected during rainy seasons which in return will reduce the consequences of periodic flooding and the spread of vector-borne diseases (malaria) and waterborne diseases for more than 168,000 beneficiaries.
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Cotonou City Rainwater Remediation Programme (PAPC)
The project is also part of Cotonou City Rainwater Remediation Programme (PAPC) which was established to to improve the urban environment to facilitate the movement of goods and people in the areas affected by rainwater drainage.
“Floods are a recurrent problem in Cotonou, and they cause significant damage to the population. This project reinforces the actions already undertaken by the World Bank to limit the effects of rainwater in this city,” said Katrina Sharkey.
The funds will be used to build more than 28 km of stormwater collectors and more than 7 km of gabion mattresses to protect the banks of the rivers that cross Cotonou, as well as to rehabilitate three retention basins with a total storage volume of nearly 432,000 m3. Gabion mattresses are galvanised steel wire mesh cages used to protect river banks from erosion.
The PAPC programme has also received funding from the West African Development Bank (BOAD), which released US $34.4m to finance the construction of more than 13 linear km of primary rainwater collectors in the city of Cotonou, in 11 catchment areas distributed between the districts of Tokplegebe, Finagnon, Yenawa, Gankpodo, Minontchou, Agbodjèdo and Kpondéhou.
