CHIGOZIE AMADI
FCT Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, has applauded the World Bank for disbursing $2 million to the FCT towards the implementation of the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project in the territory.
She gave the commendation when the World Bank ACReSAL project Task Team Lead, Dr Joy Agene, visited her in Abuja.
Mahmoud noted that the partnership with the World Bank would foster environmental sustainability and agricultural prosperity for residents of the FCT under the ACReSAL project.
She lamented that Abuja, as Nigeria’s capital city in the past 48 years, had lost its tree covers and land degradation due to physical development projects.
The minister said part of the goals of the ACReSAL project was to restore the lost trees through afforestation and other climate change adaptation activities.
“We will do all that is possible for ACReSAL project to be sustained, maintained, and achieved by God’s grace.
“We will try and provide all that is necessary from our own side. All the requirements necessary to take FCT to the next level will be done to access the $10 million,” she said.
Earlier, Agene said that the visit was to brief the minister on the performance of the project so far in the FCT and solicit for more support to ensure the success of the project in FCT.
She said that ACReSAL,being a community-based project, was designed to enable communities to access the fund through a community revolving fund.
The task team lead commended the FCT for the formation of 250 community interest groups (CIGs,) through which the fund would be disbursed
She said that the CIGs would be trained on how to access and utilise the funds.
“The project is here to help communities to adapt to the shock that will come from climate change and to do that one of the approaches is this revolving fund where communities will get about $25,000 each.
“Beyond that, we have some investment in gully erosion, flood control and large afforestation at the FCT and we will need your support to do this,” she said.
The Mandate Secretary, Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, FCTA,
Mr Lawan Geidam, said that a robust framework had been established to ensure the success of the project.
Geidam, who is also the Chairman of the technical Committee, assured the World Bank team of active community participation in the implementation of the project.
“Also, the construction of boreholes in various communities, land restoration initiative, knowledge building programmes and the planned provision of critical agricultural inputs to farmers will improve the livelihood of our communities,” he said.
