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NEWMAP-EIB STRENGTHENS PARTNERSHIP WITH UNOPS TOWARD ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT The National Project Coordinator, Nigeria Climate Adaptation Erosion and Watershed Project (NEWMAP-EIB), Engr Anda Ayuba Yalaks, has reaffirmed the project’s commitment toward environmental restoration and resilience for Nigeria’s sustainable development. CAPTION: The National Project Coordinator NEWMAP-EIB, Engr Anda Ayuba Yalaks NIAE FNAH FNIWE (L), Houcen Agrebe (Head of Operations UNOPS)(R), Hazel Natukunda (Project Manager, UNOPS) (M). In a meeting held on Friday with the representatives of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in Abuja, he stated that the project has only two components which are (1)Erosion and Watershed Infrastructural Investment (2) Project Management, which will give technical assistance where necessary to ensure effective project delivery in order to achieve the desired project development objective(PDO). During the meeting, Engr. Anda stated that the project intends to approach Implementation using the Watershed Management approach, which is a holistic approach. “Tackling the issue of erosion, focusing on mitigation, flooding, and land degradation will tackle the problem at the onset, it will also be cheaper and cost-effective” he said. Providing updates on the project, he said the project will deal with environmental restoration aimed at restoring the environment and to develop the resilience of the environment with regard to the impact of climate change. “it will be a project that will involve stakeholders and community engagement, strengthening the community’s resilience, support livelihoods initiatives for the sustainability of infrastructural investments’ he said. Engr. Anda, further reiterates: “When the people are in the center arm on the driving seat the seat of the ordeal, they will also learn lessons on how to continuously tackle issues of land degradation and as a result of that, whatever is being put in place will be sustained by teaching them simple maintenance tips. He commended the United Nations Office for Project Services ( UNOPS) for deeming it fit to come to Nigeria to brief the FPMU of the ongoing restructuring in UNOPS. He also expressed optimism that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Federal Government of Nigeria and UNOPS will be signed in no distant time. This will result in declaring the project disbursement effective. Mr. Houcen Agrebe, Head of Operations in Dakar, Senegal, stated that their mission in Nigeria is to brief the FPMU of the changes that have taken place within the UNOPS within the management structure of UNOPS within the African Continent. He disclosed that it is a restructuring for efficiency within the UNOPS. Ms Ifeoma Monwuba, the outgoing Director/Representative of UNOPS, Ghana Multi- Country Office will be replaced by Sylvia Gario as the incoming Director. He also mentioned that these changes are only in the senior leadership positions and specific in Africa, adding that the office which formerly was located in Ghana covered only Anglophone countries but now it has been expanded to cover the Francophone countries. He further added that there is no change in the agreement deal. The Nigeria office will be interfacing with the UNOPS office in Dakar, Senegal, and he will be supervising the implementation of the project once the service level agreement is signed as well as the project manager, based in Abuja. The meeting was attended by National Project Coordinator NEWMAP-EIB, Engr. Anda Ayuba Yalaks, Houcen Agrebe (Head Of Operations UNOPS) Hazel Natukunda ( Project Manager Abuja Office), and all FPMU Specialists Staff.

NEWMAP PARTNERS NAGGW TO ENHANCE ECOSYSTEM AND LIVELIHOOD RESTORATION THROUGH CAPACITY BUILDING The Nigeria Climate Adaptation Erosion and Watershed Project( NEWMAP-EIB) is forming a strategic partnership with National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) to enhance ecosystem and livelihood restoration , through institutional strengthening and capacity building in Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing while tackling the issues of Land degradation in Erosion and Flood management in the country. NPC, Engr. Anda Ayuba Yalaks disclosed this during his visit to the Director General of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall in Abuja. He reaffirmed NEWMAP -EIB’s unwavering Commitment to working alongside the NAGGW highlighting the potential benefits of the partnership. Additionally, he stated that the strategic partnership is targeted towards synchronizing NAGGW’s vision with NEWMAP-EIB in alliance with the project development objective. He also congratulated the Director General on his recent appointment, while making recommendations on the positive impacts the collaboration will have on NAGGW’s afforestation activities. ” The collaboration will enhance the capacity of field officers in the state offices to enable them achieve the agency’s objectives and further develop a comprehensive catchment management analysis and plan for Stakeholder’s Engagement at the front line field offices” he said. In his submission, the DG NAGGW, Alh. Saleh Abubakar assured the NPC that, the proposal for partnership and collaboration shall be initiated immediately through the signing of memorandum of Understanding by both parties. He also informed the meeting of plans to convey a tripartite meeting with relevant parties including NEWMAP-EIB, Ministry of Environment and ACReSAL , to discuss Action points relating to Climate Adaptation and Climate Financing on Land Restoration interventions in line with Nigeria’s Commitment to the Paris Agreement . Present during the meeting was NPC NEWMAP-EIB, Engr. Anda Ayuba Yalaks, DG NAGGW, Alhaji Saleh, Abubakar, Ag. Director, RDES, Hajia U.Z. Ibrahim, Head of GIS, Dauda Balami, Charles Adetila and EA to the NPC, Omolayo Ogunjobi.

The National Project Coordinator NEWMAP-EIB, Engr. Anda Ayuba Yalaks has decried the state of erosion and land degradation in Abia state saying the sites are active and expanding at an alarming rate threatening the infrastructure, separating communities, affecting Livelihoods and the people’s social cohesion. Engr. Anda made this observation when he led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the Executive Governor of Abia State, HE Dr.Alex Chioma Otti OFR on Tuesday at his residence in Nvosi, Isiala-ngwa south LGA, Abia State. He stated that the FPMU team were in Abia State on the instance of the Governor in order to assess the state’s readiness towards effective disbursement and to meeting the conditions precedence towards attracting the funding from European Investment Bank. According to him, the conditions precedence include amongst others: site identification, prioritize identified sites, availability of office accommodation, pool of qualified staff, Equipped office , project operational vehicles and counterpart fund contribution etc. Technically, he observed that some of the critical issues that led to the aggravation of soil erosion in the state are attributed to the nature of the soil, human and topogenic activities, sand mining , poor road designs with abrupt termination of drainages, deforestation, quest for livelihood amongst others. ” Abia State has a list of 52 sites identified but working with the guidelines on site selection criteria , the states have prioritized the sites that need urgent and emergency intervention to not leas then 20. This according to the NPC is a welcome development. The sites selected are active, and expanding posing threat to infrastructure and life of the people. He expressed gratitude to the Governor for making the visit possible and for taking the bold step in embarking on people’s oriented and developmental projects which are beneficial to the people of Abia. ” You have demonstrated a high level of political will on this project. And by so doing you have secured Abia State to meet all the conditions precedence required. Congratulations to you Sir” he said. He also called on the project implementation unit (PIU) to engage in continuous community and citizens engagement to create awareness and to get the people’s buy-in and ownership of the project for the purpose of sustainability. He however appealed to the governor to increase the counterpart fund contribution which will serve for compensation, office running cost, staff salaries and allowances. He assured the Governor of the FPMU’s support to Abia NEWMAP-EIB in the restoration of degrades lands and bully erosions more especially in the Aba industrial city for the restoration of its lost glory and revolutionalizimg the IGR of the state thereby restoring hope into the lives of the people in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Earlier in his submission, the governor lamented the impassable state of some of the roads linking other states to Abia and roads within the state applauding the earlier submission of the NPC on abrupt termination of drainages. ” If you don’t terminate your drainage appropriately, you are creating a problem that will surely happen. There are places around Arochukwu, Aba, etc.these are disasters waiting to happen. I am not a climate expert but I am interested” he said. He assured the NEWMAP -EIB team of his cooperation and promised to make additional counterpart fund contributions available. The State Project Coordinator, Ikechukwu Ukaegbu, in his remarks, thanked the governor for providing all the necessary support to the Abia NEWMAP-EIB team to enable it meet the conditions precedent for effective readiness. ” It is because of the magnanimity of HIs Excellency that all this is possible, we want to say thank you “. In his vote of thanks the Abia State Honourable Commissioner for Environment , Philemon Ogbonna commended the FPMU Team for proactiveness and moving swiftly to site on arrival, he also thanked the governor for receiving the team despite his busy schedule. The mission led by the NPC includes senior management specialist at the FPMU, Hon. Commissioner for Environment, Abia State, State Project Coordinator Abia NEWMAP-EIB, staff of the SPIU, Engineering design consultants and Environmental and Social Management Plan Consultants.

The Nigeria Institute of Water Engineers has conferred it’s fellowship award on the National Project Coordinator NEWMAP-EIB, Engr. Anda Ayuba Yalaks for his exceptional contributions in the field of Environmental and Resources Management, Water Resources Planning and Management, Irrigated Agriculture, Project Management and Integrated Water Resources Management. The staff of NEWMAP -EIB congratulate the NPC on this prestigious induction and yet another feat recorded!

As the FPMU continues to assess states’ effective readiness, across the 23 states in Nigeria, the NPC, Engr. Anda Ayuba Yalaks has called for upscaled counterpart funding from the state governors’ fund project operational activities, enhancing the capacity of staff in SPMU’s and a conducive work environment for project staff. Engr. Anda made this call when he led the FPMU team on a courtesy visit to Ondo State Governor, HE Hon. Lucky Orimisan Ayedatiwa on Friday 11th July 2024 in government house, Akure, Ondo state. Engr. Anda revealed that Ondo State is 95 percent ready for the project’s commencement. He however stated that there is need for additional project vehicles and the provision of more counterpart funds for the effective project takeoff and smooth implementation of activities at the state PMU. The NPC also informed His Excellency of the urgent need to revalidate 5 sites out of the 15 approved bankable designs that were initially approved by the world Bank under the closed NEWMAP IDA funded project, in line with the present site conditions. While commending the governor for his transformative leadership, the NPC thanked the governor for appointing the Hon. Oyeniyi Oseni, former SA Environment and Climate Change matters as Hon. Commissioner for Environment. ” This will bring into play his wealth of knowledge and experience is an asset to the Project” he said. Engr Anda mentioned that despite Ondo State joining the old World Bank funded NEWMAP project late, they successfully completed all projects approved under the IDA funded NEWMAP. According to the NPC, this was a result of high support and political will enjoyed by the project from HE, the authorizing Environment and the commitment and team spirit demonstrated by the staff of the SPMU. Earlier in his remarks, the Executive Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Lucky Ayedatiwa warmly welcomed the FPMU team to the state. He mentioned his readiness to collaborate with NEWMAP-EIB. He expressed optimism that all investments will yield significant results that will benefit all. He appealed to NEWMAP-EIB to give top priority to Ayetoro community as it faces the challenges and menace of coastal Erosion. The governor assured the team that all requests presented to him will be positively attended to. The NPC was accompanied on this courtesy visit by Hon. Commissioner for Environment, the FPMU Staff, the Project Supervisor, and the SPMU staff.