By Fatima Saka
National Project Coordinator, Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACRESAL), AbdulHamid Umar has tasked staff to put more effort while delivering duties diligently, saying that the core duty of the agency is to nurture the environment and save lives.
Umar made this statement on Thursday in Abuja, at the dinner and awards ceremony of the Kogi State Project Coordinator, Barr. Ladi Jatto, who has been conferred with the National Honour, Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) by Former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Mr. Umar described the project coordinator of Kogi state as a sound mind and ascetic personality for all the efforts made while carrying out her duties even in a difficult task.
He charged all the staff to make enquiries from the Project Coordinator of what she is doing differently that made her earn the National Honour, so that they too can also excel.
The National Project Coordinator said he will ensure that all projects are delivered in all the 19 States including federal capital territory for the organization to win awards of excellence and performance, saying that the staff should also put their commitments to achieve the targets, and awards will be issued.
“We will issue to high performance staff, results driving individuals, high performing individuals so that we can meet our targets. We will find ways and means to encourage ourselves so that people can also deliver on their targets.”
Also, Dr. Joy Iganya Agene, Task Team Leader of the ACReSAL Project and Senior Environmental Specialist, World Bank Nigeria Office commended the Kogi State Projects Coordinator for setting the pace for the organization, describing her as “Amazon”.
The Task Team Leader further encouraged the staff, saying that the staff should learn from the Project Coordinator and learn from others as well while putting their best to work.
In her response, Barr. Ladi Jatto, Kogi State Project Coordinator (ACRESAL), expressed delight that she is happy having a family to celebrate with her “this is really a great thing to me.”
“I really valued it, I see it as some motivation to do more of whatever I’m doing that is good as a motivation to work harder for my state and country at large.
Speaking on her next steps, Barr. Jatto vowed to reach out to the people, ” to deliver on the project I’m handling and make sure that the people benefit from the project the way they should.”
However, speaking on environmental pollution, the National Project Coordinator of ACReSAL said the organization is working with the Federal ministry of Environment and other agencies to address issues surrounding the environment and to save lives.
ACReSAL as an organization front to tackle the effect of Climate Change in Nigeria’s environment and the socio-economic lives of Nigerians.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari implemented the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid landscapes project in 2021, to last for the period of six-years, which targets the arid and semi-arid watersheds of the nineteen (19) Northern states and Federal Capital Territory.
ACReSAL a World Bank assisted Project committed to landscape restoration in Northern Nigeria, a region that has highest rates poverty, low literacy, an environment of fragility, conflict, and violence, degradation of natural resources, poor agricultural productivity, climate risks, desertification, poor penetration of modern technology, and weak institutional capacity.
In addressing the issues surrounding the northern part which are interwoven, requires effort of multiple sectors, that is why the Federal Ministry of Environment is the lead implementing Agency, in collaboration with the Federal Ministries of Water Resources, and Agriculture and Rural Development.
“ACReSAL embodiment project is a multi-sectoral and multi-institutional scheme, covering Environment, Agriculture and Water, designed by the Federal Government to combat desertification, restore degraded lands, and special ecosystems for agriculture and biodiversity conservation.
“It is also expected to tackle issues of water scarcity for Agricultural purposes and the negative impact of Climate Change on Agricultural productivity, as well as livelihood of rural farmers in the selected states of the country.
“ACReSAL Project Development Objective is to increase the implementation of sustainable landscape management practices in targeted watersheds in northern Nigeria and strengthen Nigeria’s long-term enabling environment for integrated climate-resilient landscape management.
“The conceptual aspects of ACReSAL is to fund investments strategically in the area of ecosystem restoration, flood and sedimentation control, sand dunes stabilization, watershed infrastructure such as integrated dams/small-scale multipurpose reservoirs and irrigation.
“The organization is to ensure sustainability of these investments will be reinforced by strengthening institutions and information services across sectors and States, including support to improve governance, regulatory compliance, environmental monitoring, impact evaluation, watershed and land use planning, thus, strengthening Nigeria’s capacity to promote and implement climate- resilient projects.”
