Governor Zulum Applauds ACReSAL Project for Post-Insurgency Recovery and Economic Growth

By Faridat Salifu

The World Bank-funded Agro Climatic Resilience in Semi parched Landscapes (ACReSAL) project in Nigeria has convinced the Ngamdu community that their parched areas will soon be converted into fertile farming grounds.
The declaration was issued during the ACResal inspection of the World Bank-funded Ngamdu erosion and flood control project site.

Borno State Governor Gana Umara Zulum praised the Agro Climatic Resilience in Semi Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) initiative in his speech, underlining its critical role in the region’s post-insurgency rehabilitation and economic progress.
The World Bank-funded initiative intends to combat dry areas and reduce flood and erosion in a number of communities, including Ngamdu in Kaga local government.

Governor Zulum commended the project as a milestone that holds significant potential for enhancing livelihoods and fostering economic growth in the area. He expressed gratitude to the World Bank for its support and emphasized the project’s importance for the post-insurgency recovery and stabilization efforts of his administration.

The Governor underscored the project’s potential to provide long-term benefits, particularly in the realm of irrigation farming, which aligns with the state government’s commitment to supporting year-round agricultural activities. He urged the residents of Ngamdu to fully utilize the project, highlighting the government’s readiness to provide additional support for the implementation of irrigation farming practices.

In acknowledging the ACReSAL project’s impact, Governor Zulum affirmed its relevance to the overarching goal of rebuilding the region following years of insurgency. He emphasized the need for the community and state government to work in tandem to maximize the potential of the project, underscoring its positive implications for the region’s economic and agricultural development.

The Governor’s remarks underscore the significant role that the ACReSAL project is set to play in Borno State’s socioeconomic resurgence and post-conflict recovery, offering hope for a sustainable future in the face of previous adversities.

Task Team Leader (TTL) of Agro Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Nigeria, Dr. Joy Iganye Agene, passionately assured the people of Ngamdu Community in Kaga local government, Borno, of transforming their arid lands into fertile ground suitable for farming throughout the year. She made the commitment while inspecting the Ngamdu erosion and flood control project site, which is part of the ongoing World Bank-funded interventions in Borno State.

Dr. Agene explained that maximum priority would be given to the interventions, ensuring that the people of Borno State, especially the Ngamdu community, would reap the full benefits of ACReSAL. Her assurance extended to supporting the women of the community in acquiring sustainable livelihoods through ACReSAL and other related interventions, as well as encouraging families to enroll their children in school.

Project Engineer for ACReSAL in Borno State, Engineer Baba Gana Ladan, detailed the Ngamdu flood and erosion control site, highlighting its 1175-meter concrete drain lane spanning three sections. He emphasized that the project aims to prevent future flooding in Ngamdu and save lives and property by effectively channeling floodwater to the designated drained site.

Additionally, Engineer Ladan mentioned similar projects across Borno State, including the flood and erosion control sites at Uba town in Askira Uba local government and the Biriyel flood and erosion site under Bayo local government area. These endeavors are all part of World Bank-funded efforts to manage and control flooding across Borno State.