By Adeyinka Adeniran
Oyo State has been listed among the 23 beneficiaries of the European Investment Bank’s intervention in addressing the challenges of erosion and land degradation control in Nigeria.
The intervention project is under the auspices of the European Investment Bank-assisted Nigeria Climate Adaptation Erosion and Watershed Project (NEWMAP-EIB).
The National Project Coordinator of NEWMAP-EIB Engr. Anda Yalaks made this known on Tuesday in Ibadan when he led the Federal Project Management Unit delegation on a courtesy visit to Governor Seyi Makinde in his office.
The National Project Coordinator disclosed that the courtesy visit was part of the Federal Project Management Unit team to Oyo State scoping mission to evaluate the state’s readiness as a crucial step towards disbursement and project implementation take off.
According to Engr. Yalaks, the Federal Government of Nigeria has initiated the climate Adaptation: Erosion and Watershed succeeding the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management project (Newmap) to address the issue of land degradation in a targeted subwatershed, improve livelihood, and promote environmental resilience for sustainable development.
He added that the project is supported by the European Union and oversees by the Federal Project Management Unit (FPMU) with implementation by the 23 participating states including Oyo state.
Briefing the Governor on the pre requisite requirements, Yalaks commended Governor Makinde led administration for his approval and release of N500 million as counterpart fund and other important pre requisite requirements which secured the state as one of the 23 states for the EIB intervention.
He said, “I’m happy to announce to you that Oyo state has met 100 percent legitimate criteria to attract the funding.”
He confirmed that after conducting an assessment of the prioritized sites which are threat to lives and infrastructural development. They are therefore considered as candidate sites in line with the conditions precedence of the EIB.
Welcoming the FPMU delegation on behalf of the Governor, the Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal highlighted some of the achievements of Governor Makinde in demonstrating the highest level of political will to tackle environmental challenges in the state.
He expressed optimism about the project’s potential for success and assured the team of the state’s unwavering support.
“We are already on course and it is an irreversible course, we cannot go back, all the requests you have demanded from us as the state government, we will fulfil. We need to put more efforts in terms of making this partnership a workable one”, he added.
Earlier in his remarks, the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Abdulmojeed Mogbonjubola commended Governor Makinde for his leadership quality in choosing the prioritized sites in Eruwa, Igbeti, Ibadan and most especially the gully erosion site within the Ladoke Akintola University (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso which is currently a threat to infrastructural development, added that the state is ready for full project implementation take off.
Present at the visit were the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Dr. Sunday Ojelabi, State Project Coordinator, Tayo Ayoade and members of the State Project Management Unit of NEWMAP.
