ACReSAL Project makes Impact in Niger State, as Mokwa kingdom honours NPC, World Bank Rep

By Faridat Salifu

In a recent development, the Ndarile of Mokwa Kingdom in Niger State, Lile Shaba Aliyu, conveyed heartfelt appreciation on behalf of his community to the Agro Climatic Resilience in Semi Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Nigeria mission team.

This expression of gratitude stems from the team’s unwavering commitment to addressing the persistent 10km long gully erosion that has plagued the locality for the past decade.

Despite commendable communal efforts to intercept runoff and prevent the complete washing away of houses, the Ndarile voiced concern over the sluggish progress in constructing a retaining wall over the last six years. He estimated that at the current pace, an additional half a dozen years would be required to complete the project.

Responding to these concerns, the Co-Task Team Leader (TTL) of the ACReSAL Project from the World Bank, Manivel Sene, assured the people of Mokwa Community in Niger State that decisive measures would be taken to stabilize the disturbance and initiate the process of restoring the land.

Sene underscored the importance of identifying the primary cause of the erosion to prevent future gullies, emphasizing the adoption of good land management practices, maintenance of even infiltration rates, and the preservation of a healthy plant cover within the community.

In an additional gesture of appreciation, Lile Shaba Aliyu disclosed the decision of the Traditional Council to bestow the titles of Haske Mokwa and Shugaba Aiki Mokwa upon the Co-Task Team Leader (TTL) Manivel Sene and the National Project Coordinator (NPC) of ACReSAL Nigeria, Abdulhamid Umar, respectively. This honorary induction signifies their esteemed status as members of the Mokwa community.

The upcoming project has been entrusted to the supervision of Mr. Garbo Usman Ibeto, the State Project Coordinator, and is anticipated to commence in due course.

This marks a significant step forward in addressing the longstanding gully erosion issue in the Mokwa Kingdom, demonstrating a collective commitment to the well-being and sustainable development of the community.