By Dare Akogun
The World Bank has praised Kwara State for its dedicated interest in the execution of the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project.
The commendation was given by the World Bank Task Team Leader for ACReSAL and Senior Environmental Specialist Dr. Joy Iganya Agene, during a three-day working visit to Ilorin, the state capital.
Dr. Agene, who expressed gratitude to the state government for the warm reception, stated that the visit was aimed at fostering a robust relationship between the state and the World Bank.
“This collaboration is intended to enhance the unmitigated implementation of the ACReSAL Project in Kwara State,” she said.
During the visit, Dr. Agene confirmed the appointment of Alhaji Shamsideen Olatunbosun Aregbe as the Substantive Project Coordinator of Kwara ACReSAL.
In his remarks, the National Project Coordinator of the ACReSAL Project Mr. Abdulhamid Umar, highlighted the project’s goal of recovering and restoring lost landscapes caused by natural and human activities for the benefit of humanity.
He noted that while Kwara State is currently behind in its implementation, there is room for improvement.
“I implore you to double up and ensure you own this project. We’ll invest and turn things around; however, sustainability of the projects must be prioritized,” said Mr. Umar.
He reiterated that the mandate of ACReSAL is to restore one million hectares, with each of the 19 benefiting states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) responsible for restoring 50,000 hectares each.
Mr. Umar commended the Kwara State government for its passion and desire to make a difference in the project implementation.
He assured that the Federal Project Management Unit (FPMU) is committed to working with Kwara ACReSAL to bring the state back on track for speedy project execution.
Hon. Ndanusa Sheu Usman, Chairman of the Kwara State ACReSAL Steering Committee and the State’s Commissioner for Environment, stated that the state government is deeply concerned about the daunting ecological problems, land degradation, and deforestation.
He expressed optimism that these challenges can be addressed with the aid of the ACReSAL project.
