By Martha Agas
Gov Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau on Thursday inaugurated the Agro Climatic Resilience in Semi Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project in the state .
The project is a Federal Government, World Bank-assisted programme designed for the 19 Northern states and the FCT, aimed at reclaiming one million hectares of degraded landscapes in the implementing states.
Speaking at the inauguration in Jos, the governor said he would ensure proper utilisation of resources accessed from the bank to achieve its objective.
He urged beneficiaries of the project to realise that the bank is not a donor agency, and that resources accessed through its credit facilities should be properly utilised.
”The investment that is coming to your community is a debt that will be repaid by the people of Plateau state.
He appealed to the project coordinator, the community leaders and stakeholders to ensure the state got value for their money in the location the projects were being sited.
He described the ACReSAL project as critical in addressing issues of flood and drought especially in Plateau, which is an agrarian state.
According to him, majority of Plateau people engage in agriculture as their source of livelihood, and so required such intervention to boost productivity.
He assured Plateau people that relevant agencies of government required for the management of the project would be engaged for its success.
”The ACReSAL project deal with all strata of society, the men, the women and the young people .
”When this project is properly executed, I believe it will also generate employment for the teaming number of our population that are youths,” he said.
Mutfwang further assured the bank that the project would be properly supervised to ensure its completion for the benefit of the host communities and the state in general.
He said that the state would need the assistance of the bank in funding some of his administration’s projects especially as it was suffering from paucity of funds.
Earlier in his remarks, the World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Shubham Chaudhuri, urged the state government to use the resources only for the projects earmarked to get the desired impact.
He said that World Bank are in Nigeria to support in eliminating extreme poverty for improved welfare for the people.
He added that part of their support include ensuring that communities all over the country become more resilient in dealing with the challenges posed by climate change.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the project is multisectoral with focus on participatory approach where communities take ownership of the projects for its sustenance.
The project also aimed at increasing implementation of sustainable landscape management practices in targeted water sheds.
It is also to strengthen Nigeria’s long term enabling environment for integrated climate resilient landscape management.(NAN)
