Nigeria launches strategy for coastal area development

By, Zeniat Abubakar, Abuja

Stakeholders at the National Technical Committee, on West Africa Coastal Areas Management program, WACA have been charged to provide positive contributions toward ensuring a successful implementation of WACA in Nigeria.

This was disclosed at the launch of the National Stakeholders Technical Committee, on West Africa Coastal Areas, WACA, Management, program held in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

Nigeria’s Minister of Environment Mr Muhammed Abdullahi while speaking at the one-day WACA program, said that the programme is to improve the livelihoods of coastal communities in Nigeria.

He noted that WACA, would also help reduce the vulnerability of Nigeria, coastal areas and promote climate-resilient integrated coastal management, within the framework of sustainable environmental management.

“Stakeholders Technical Committee Meeting to the implementation of the WACA program in Nigeria cannot be overemphasized because it will hold all stakeholders accountable to further support government’s drive in improving the livelihoods of coastal communities in Nigeria by reducing the vulnerability of its coastal areas and promoting climate-resilient integrated coastal management, within the framework of sustainable environmental management.” Abdullahi explained.

Abdullahi also noted that the benefits of the WACA will help Nigeria obtain financing and expertise to sustainably manage her coastal areas, enhance industrial competitiveness, market access, innovation and investment promotion.

“It will also promote productive employment for rural communities and entrepreneurship development, as well as sustainable energy and environmental management.” He said.

He noted that the government was desirous of witnessing verifiable milestone achievements to showcase under the implementation of the WACA.

“This is to therefore request all the stakeholders especially, World Bank and its partners to double their efforts at developing our coastal landscape especially now that WACA is already being implemented in other West African Countries, on this note charge the critical Stakeholders to carry-out their official responsibilities with utmost diligence and uprightness. Let me also reiterate that your appointment to the National Stakeholders Technical Committee on WACA is indeed a call to service and a representation of your various State Governments, Ministry, Department and Agencies (MDAs) and the minimum expected from you is a service of honesty, integrity and foresightedness.”

The Minister, added that the smooth implementation of the program was a little bit delayed and that the World Bank has secured a grant for the technical studies beginning from Lagos, Delta and Cross River State respectively.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Mr Hassan Musa said the West Africa Coastal Areas Programme (WACA) is a convening platform that aims to help countries obtain financing and expertise to sustainably manage their coastal areas.

He said the stakeholders meeting would help to provide the enabling environment for more positive contributions toward ensuring a successful implementation of WACA in Nigeria.

“It is my conviction that this stakeholders meeting will provide the enabling environment for more positive contributions toward ensuring a successful implementation of WACA in Nigeria.” Mr Musa stated.

He also commended the World Bank for the timely articulation of Nigeria’s immediate priorities in the WACA program in line with the project implementation schedule.

The Engagement Leader and lead Water Specialist, Sustainable Development World Bank Mr. Pier Mantovani, said WACA was developed in response to West Africa countries needs for solution in preserving and protecting country suffering from coastal erosions amongst other environment disasters.

According to him, “WACA has been involved with countries in west Africa including Nigeria and studies opened under this programme have identify how much degradation of coastal areas can impact the economy of countries, studies of the cost of degradation conducted in other countries in the region can be identify, the impact can be measures in the range of up to five percent of GDP, so we are taking about major losses of opportunities, assets caused by degradation, coastal erosion, flooding pollution and overall degradation of coastal Zones which calls for urgent attention.” Mr. Mantovani, explained.

“In some countries of the program we have made progress towards reaching the stage where investor program are already on the way to mitigate these programs, but in Nigeria we are currently in stages of developing such plans for future investment programs”. Mr. Mantovani, added.

The Commissioner of Environment, Ondo State, Mr Sunday Akinwalere, appealed to the World Bank to include the state as one of the first set of beneficiaries of the WACA project, saying the state has been dealing with environmental challenges for long.

According to the Commissioner,“out of the eight hundred and fifty, kilometers coastal Areas in Nigeria Ondo State is having about one hundred and eighty kilometers you can see the kind of Environmental challenges we are facing in Ondo, most especially, Ayetoro, Abereke, Orioke – Iwamimo, Awoye etc in Ilaje/Eseodo Local Govt Areas of the state, all these communities have almost been washed away from the surface of the earth.”

The Commissioner of Environment Cross River State, Mr, Ufom Bassey also commended the World Bank for the critical project embarked on by the Bank in curbing critical problems in the areas of flooding in Nigeria.

He also appeal to the World Bank to commence the project as soon as possible.

Mr Bassey added that Cross River State government is ready to work with the team for quick implementation of the WACA program.

The Bayelsa state, government in Southern Nigeria also reiterated it’s commitment to work with the World Bank and the ministry of Environment to ensure areas affected by coastal erosion can be speedily addressed.

The government also commended the World Bank and the Ministry of Environment for the WACA project to address coastal issues in the Niger Delta areas.

WACA, was established in 2015 by the World Bank in response to demands from countries in the West Africa region to manage their growing coastal erosion and flooding problems.