NIGERIA EROSION AND WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PROJECT (NEWMAP)
PRESS RELEASE
Minister call for concerted efforts on the environment
The Honourable Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Usman Jibril has stated Government’s readiness to reverse land degradation to avert catastrophic environmental situation inimical to sustainable development.
Mr. Ibrahim made this known in Enugu at the flag-off of the 1st Mid Term Review of Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP). He said “NEWMAP project was specifically designed to support the country in addressing the long and devastating problem of erosion and land degradation in order to reduce vulnerability to ravaging gully erosion, adding; this is one of the specific activities tailored towards improved environment in the country.”
Speaking on the Mid Term Review, the Hon Minister explained that the “MTR aimed at assessing the progress of implementation of the category “A” project which became effective since September 16, 2013, also added that the review would access key challenges towards project development objectives and successful project delivery.”
He said the level of environmental degradation across the country calls for concern and if not properly tackled might result in the need to declare emergency on the environment sector. The Minister advised that proper waste management should be encouraged especially in the area of poly bags.
Speaking Further, the Minister said “an improved erosion management and gully rehabilitation would provide for; reduced loss of infrastructure including roads, houses, markets, reduced loss of agricultural land and productivity from soil loss caused by surfaced erosion, reduced siltation in rivers to less flooding.”
Accordingly, NEWMAP investment in carbon development studies in the area of fuel efficient bakery ovens and renewable energy project would support the Government’s interest in INDC as well as address social, economic and environmental threat that climate change poses to our country by progressively restoring environmental conditions.
While thanking the Work Bank Team for their technical and financial support in the project implementation, the Minister reminded the participants of their obligations and roles in addressing peculiar environmental challenges facing the country, reiterated the importance of this MTR exercise.
The Executive Governor of Anambra State Mr. Ifeanyi L. Ugwuanya, represented by the Honourable Commissioner for Environment Enugu State, Ambassador Fidel Ayogu noted that NEWMAP came up at a time when the South Eastern States had almost given up hope of tackling the menace of soil erosion.
He said “the coming of NEWMAP was as a result of the enormity of the problem and the failed efforts made to control gully erosion by the Southern States, their local governments and constituencies before now,” which according to him, were partially or temporarily effective due to the scale and complexity of the gully erosion sites.
He noted that MTR avails the Federal, States and the development Partners the opportunity to meet and reflect on the implementation strategy in order to appraise level of success, share experiences, lessons learnt, challenges faced and thereby deliberate on the way forward for the remaining years of the Project life.
Other Dignitaries that participated in the MTR were the commissioners of Environment and Permanent Secretaries from Abia, Anambra, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Enugu, Edo and Imo States. Others included Dr. Amos Abu, the World Bank Task Team Leader NEWMAP, representatives from FAO, Federal and States Ministries, the NEWMAP National Project Coordinator, Mr. Salisu Dahiru, State Project Coordinators and NEWMAP project staff from the seven initial States and the 10 new participating states.
