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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!