The Niger State Government has called on the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project to fast-track the stabilization of gully erosion sites in Mokwa Local Government Area.
The appeal was made during a dinner held in honour of the visiting World Bank ACReSAL team at the Hauwa Wali Multipurpose Hall, Government House in Minna.
Speaking at the event, Governor Umaru Bago—represented by his Deputy Chief of Staff and State Coordinator for all World Bank-supported projects, Sadiq Yusuf—expressed hope that accelerating the erosion control efforts would bring urgent relief to affected communities battling land degradation in Mokwa.
He restated the government’s full support and commitment to the success of all World Bank-funded projects across the state.
The Task Team Leader for ACReSAL, Iganya Agene, praised the Niger State Government for creating a supportive environment for the project’s implementation. She also commended Governor Bago’s focus on promoting women’s participation in agriculture.
ACReSAL’s National Project Coordinator, Abdulhamid Umar, noted that the World Bank visit aimed to validate the Strategic Catchment Management Plan. This plan is expected to guide future investments under the project, starting with 20 major catchment areas and eventually expanding into more than 200 micro catchment areas across Nigeria. He described Niger State as a key player in this initiative.
Niger State’s ACReSAL Coordinator, Raji Shehu, acknowledged the consistent support from the state government, especially the timely release of counterpart funding which he said has been vital to the project’s success.
Commissioner for Environment, Muhammad Yakubu, highlighted major achievements of ACReSAL in the state so far. These include:
Establishing 150 hectares of oil palm plantation in Laboji
Training 100 women in agriculture
Drilling 88 boreholes across all 25 LGAs
Launching agro-poultry farming on 25 hectares
Setting up small plant nurseries
Procuring tractors and other agricultural machinery
The event also featured cultural performances by the Gwape Cultural Troupe and the presentation of souvenirs to the World Bank delegation by the Niger State Government.
