By Femi Akinola
The Minister of the Environment, Alhaji Balarabe Abbas, at weekend, hosted the World Bank African Country Director, Mr. Shubham Chaudhuri and the representatives of sub national governments of Nigeria’s eight Coastal States, for a National Stakeholders Meeting for the implementation of the West Africa Control Management Programme (WACA) in Nigeria.
When it takes-off, WACA will help Nigerian Government ensure improvements in the livelihoods of coastal communities in the country by reducing the vulnerability of its coastal areas and promoting climate-resilient integrated coastal management, within the framework of sustainable environment management.
The programme will help Nigeria obtain financing and expertise to sustainably manage the country’s coastal areas, enhance industrial competitiveness, market access, innovation and investment promotion as well as promote productive employment for the rural communities, and entrepreneurship development.
NatureNews checks showed that the WACA programme was developed in partnership with the West African people who live on the coast and depend on it for their livelihoods, nutrition, food security, and prosperity.
The program also supports countries effort to improve the management of their shaared coaastal resources and reduce the beutral and man-made risks affecting coastal communities.
WACA boosts the transfer of knowledge, foster political dialogue among countries, and mobilize public and private finance to tackle coastal erosion, flooding, pollution and climate change adaptation.
The WACA program consists of country projects, regional integration and support activities, and a WACA platform as mechanism to scle-up knowledge, dialogue and finance.
NatureNews reliably gathered that Akwa-Ibom State is one of WACA program in the country, due to its high levels of poverty, coastal erosion, and environmental degradation.