Gombe State Governor Launches Project To Address Environmental Degradation

 

Governor Muhammadu Yahaya has launched the Gombe State Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes, ACReSAL Project Implementation support mission.

Speaking during the official launch in Gombe, Governor Yahaya said his government was committed to curbing the menace of environmental degradation and providing resilience for sustainable livelihood and economic development.

He said this had become necessary because Gombe State was among the states most affected by environmental challenges due to its unique geography.

He said that the challenges have adverse effects on agricultural productivity, natural resources, and the general livelihood of the people of the state.

“Incessant flooding, erratic rainfall patterns, desert encouragement, and diminishing arable lands all of which have taken a toll on the livelihood of our farmers and communities. As of today, there is a looming hunger in the country, and that could be as a result of so many factors, but I believe one of the principal factors is lack of proper care of the environment,” Governor Yahaya said.

He explained that because of the devastating consequences, his administration had come up with various initiatives geared towards mitigating the adverse effects and strengthening resilience among the populace.”

Governor Yahaya gave the assurances to provide all the needed support for the successful implementation of the project in Gombe State including additional financial support.

“We will fulfill our obligation and we hope to see you too deliver your part so that the project will kick-start as soon as possible to take our people out of this quagmire, ” he explained.

Governor Yahaya said, “The first thing he did when he assumed office in 2019 was to pay the counterpart funds for the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project, NEWMAP, which led to the execution of numerous developmental projects in the state.”

“And as a mark of our commitment towards strengthening climate resilience, the state government paid the sum of 503 million Naira as a counterpart funding for the ACReSAL project in addition to meeting all other requirements for participation in the project,” he said.

The Governor said his government intended to entrench environmental accountability and sustainability and foster a spirit of cooperation, ownership, and shared responsibilities in protecting the environment, through various interventions like the ACReSAL projects,

He said; “Our major policy focus is to harness both our land and water potentials to strengthen our comparative advantage in agriculture. We aim to empower our farmers with knowledge and modern techniques to enable them to implement sustainable land management and water conservation practices.”

He expressed optimism that his government’s partnership with World Bank through the ACReSAL project would help to provide a healthy and eco-friendly environment for human habitation.

“We have acquired motorcycles and 6 tricycles, a boat, and a drone to bolster the capacity of our forestry unit for effective wildlife protection and conservation,” Governor Yahaya said.

He expressed his administration’s commitment to work with all relevant stakeholders to protect the environment in Gombe State, expressing hope that the Federal College of Education (Technical) and the Malam Inna Gully rehabilitation projects under ACReSAL would get fast clearance to allow for their immediate commencement.

The Governor thanked all development partners, sponsors, and stakeholders especially the World Bank team and the Federal Project Management Unit for their support in the implementation of ACReSAL projects in Gombe State.

The ACReSAL Project, the Task Team Leader, Dr. Joy Agene commended Governor Inuwa Yahaya for his commitment to changing the ecological landscape of Gombe State, the policy she said, is compatible with the objectives of the ACReSAL project.

“We have seen your commitment to greening the environment, we have seen the name the ‘Green Governor’ and ACReSAL is about greening the environment and saving lives,” she said.

The state is one of the leading states in the country in terms of ACReSAL projects, with about 35 million dollars in notional allocation.

The team lead requested the Governor’s continued support towards the success of the project while seeking his indulgence as Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum to facilitate engagement with other Northern Governors to discuss issues relating to the implementation of the project in the whole of the region, the request the governor immediately granted.

Also, the National Project Coordinator of ACReSAL, Mr. Abdulhamid Umar, applauded the support of Governor Inuwa in actualizing the project in Gombe State.

“The governor played a remarkable role in the implementation of NEWMAP and Gombe topped the chart under his leadership, hoping to see more under ACReSAL,” Mr. Umar said.

 

 

Mercy Chukwudiebere