Bauchi State Governor Launches ACReSAL Project, Plans to Construct Over 100 Earth Dams Across the State

The Bauchi State Government on Friday, 26th May 2023, officially launched the implementation of Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project in line with the state government efforts to increase landscapes restoration and availability of water for human and agricultural purposes in the state.

The governor, Sen. Bala Mohammed, in his remarks said that the launch underscores his administrations commitment to address persisting ecological problems in the state. He said that his administration brought the ACRESAL Project to the state through hard-work, perseverance and passion, as manifested in the provision of all necessary requirements as outlined by the World Bank at different instances.

The governor said that the plan of his administration is to have not fewer than 100 earth dams across the state in order to provide constant water supply for the herders as well as the farmers, to check constant migration out of the state while reducing the issue of conflict between the farmers and herders.

He explained that the ACRESAL project is considered a turning-point to the state’s lingering environmental and climatic problems, and that the participation of his administration in the project was an added effort towards tackling natural disasters and emergencies, as well as improving the livelihoods of people. The Governor said that ACReSAL is about life and livelihoods particularly for people at the villages, hard to reach communities that are suffering environmental degradation to the extent that they cannot farm to earn a living

“Our interest in ACRESAL projects is immense, as clearly displayed in assiduously pursuing all the processes of providing necessary requirements for participation in the project. We collaborated and leveraged technical and financial assistance from multi- national donors, bilateral donors and federal MDAs to address a number of ecological challenges in the state.

“With our endowed natural resources and special ecosystems, game reserves, vast arable and irrigable lands as well as water resources comprising 10 macro- watersheds, 46 micro-watersheds, seven major rivers, five lakes and ten major wetlands, we are optimistic that ACRESAL Project will go a long way in providing solutions to the State’s lingering ecological problems.”

He noted that, apart from over four (4) hectares of plantations in form of shelter- belts and biological gardens executed by the Bauchi ACRESAL projects, a gigantic support in form of two Game Viewing Trucks, Scientific Research and Conservation gadgets have been provided for the Yankari Game Reserve.

The governor commended the federal government and the World Bank for initiating the ACReSAL project which will ultimately resuscitate the key sectors of Environment, Agriculture and Water Resources in the country and assured that Bauchi being not the only state participating in the programme, is determined to make a difference just as it has had been doing in other projects supported by the World Bank.

In her address, the World Bank Task Team Leader, Dr. Joy Iganya Agene congratulated Governor Bala Mohammed for being the first to launch the official commencement of the implementation of the project in the 19 northern states and FCT, she called on relevant stakeholders to help drive the implementation and ensure sustainability of the investment.

She also said that the State Government demonstrated seriousness for the implementation of the project by providing all the requirements needed even before the commencement of the project stressing that it was a demonstration of good governance.

She stressed that the project is all about making life easy for people at the grassroots who have been devastated by various environmental issues which must be mitigated against. Dr.Joy Agene assured that the project management will always engage the people to know what their problems are and try to alleviate such problems within a short period of time.

The National Coordinator of the ACReSAL Project, Abdulhameed Umar while reviewing the project said that the success story has justified the objectives of the project.

He commended Bauchi State for what has been done so far stressing that it was the modest achievement that promoted the official launching of the project in the benefiting states and FCT.

The National Coordinator stressed that the focus of the project is giving the poor people at the grassroots a means of livelihoods having been devastated by various negative environmental issues. He thanked the governor for the payment of the 500m counterpart fund.

In his opening remarks, the State Project Coordinator of ACReSAL, Dr Kabiru Ibrahim disclosed that so far, 12 Communities interest groups (CIG) have been mobilized and trained in the 7 LGAs the project is being implemented.

He emphasized that the ACReSAL project was first launched in Bauchi state among the 19th Northern states and FCT participating in the project.

The traditional institutions in the state pledged their support for the successful implementation of the project stressing that it is for the benefit of the people.

Speaking through the Wazirin Bauchi, Uba Mohammed Kárí, the Traditional rulers commended the State Government for keying into the project promising to protect project investments in the various communities.