To improve the livelihoods of the nation’s coastal people, the Federal Government and World Bank have reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the West Africa Coastal Areas (WACA) Management Programme.
The pledge was made by the Minister of the Environment, Mr. Muhammed Abdulahi, on Thursday in Abuja during a two-day meeting of the National Stakeholders Technical Committee on the WACA program.
The ministry’s director of environmental impact assessment, Mr. Abbas Suileman, spoke on behalf of Abdulahi and said that the initiative will lessen the vulnerability of coastal communities.
He claims that the initiative will support integrated coastal management that is climate-resilient within the context of sustainable environmental management.
“The WACA will assist Nigeria to gain funding and expertise to sustainably manage its coastal areas, improve industrial competitiveness, market access, innovation, and investment promotion. The benefits of the WACA are fairly substantial.
Additionally, it will support the growth of entrepreneurship, sustainable energy, and environmental management, as well as constructive jobs for rural areas.
As the WACA is being implemented, “the Federal Government is desirous of witnessing verifiable milestone achievements to demonstrate,” he stated.
The minister claimed that the COVID-19 epidemic and funding shortages for technical studies that were needed before multi-sectoral investment caused the program’s execution to be delayed.
According to him, the World Bank had obtained funding for technical studies in the states of Lagos, Delta, and Cross River.
In light of this, he declared, “I am confident that the World Bank in Nigeria will continue to highlight their depth of knowledge and insight in producing results in the quickest amount of time.
After WACA was put into effect in other West African nations, Abdulahi urged stakeholders, the World Bank, and its partners to step up their efforts to develop the coastal landscape.
According to him, the important parties involved should carry out their official duties with the utmost devotion and integrity.
Let me further underline that you were called to duty by your appointment to the National Stakeholders Technical Committee on WACA.
The least that can be expected of you, he said, is a service of honesty, integrity, and foresight. “It is also a representation of your various state governments, Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs),” he added.
According to Mr. Hassan Musa, the ministry’s permanent secretary, WACA was set up by the World Bank in 2015 to address the region’s escalating coastal erosion and flooding issues.
According to Musa, WACA set up a committee in 2016 to make sure the program covered a variety of sectoral challenges.
Mr. Dilichukwu Etigbue, the ministry’s Director of Erosion, Flood, and Coastal Zone Management, acted as the Permanent Secretary’s representative.
All the nations in West Africa, including Nigeria, are dedicated to putting the program into action, according to Mr. Francesso Mentovani, Engagement Leader and Lead Water Specialist at the World Bank.
Mentovani claimed that the purpose of the stakeholders’ gathering was to garner support from all parties involved for the direction WACA should follow in Nigeria.
He stated that the program’s goal was to maintain, safeguard, and address environmental problems in the area, such as desertification, climate change, and other environmental concerns.
According to Mr. Adegbite Mohammed, who was a representative for Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tunji Bello, the state has put a lot of money into the initiative.
According to Bello, the state has more than 100 km of coastline, and it is dedicated to building seawalls to safeguard the neighborhood’s roads, houses, and promenades.
He exhorted the stakeholders to step up their efforts for the program’s successful execution.
To make the program’s implementation easier, he said, “I will advise that all the coastal states’ management should build a strong team to share their problems.”
NAN
