The Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Water Resources has inaugurated an 10-man steering committee for the implementation of the Programme for Integrated Development and Adaptation to Climate Change in the Niger Basin (PIDACC/NB).
The committee which is being chaired by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack with the objectives of providing guidance and ensuring the achievement of the Project Development Objectives (PDO); grants approval of Annual Work Plan & Budget (AWP&B) and Revised Procurement Plan; and appraisal of regular progress reports and financial statements for informed decision among many others.
Inaugurating the committee on Wednesday in Abuja, the Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu, said this PIDACC/B is the second phase of the Niger Basin’s Silt and Erosion Control Program, which was funded by the African Development Fund (ADF) and was successfully executed by the Niger Basin Authority (NBA) in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from 2005 to 2011.
He said in view of the benefits obtained by the beneficiary States, the NBA initiated the second phase of the Regional Programme popularly known as “PIDACC/N” with the financial support of African Development Bank (AfDB), European Union (EU), Green Climate Fund (GCF) and Global Environmental Facilities (GEF), not only to consolidate on the achievement of the programme, but to extend it to the other member countries of the NBA which include; Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote D’ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Chad.
According to him, the composition is with the sole aim of strengthening the implementation and achievement of the programme objectives, to build resilience of ecosystems and natural resources; build resilience of populations and; program coordination and management in Nigeria.
“The decision to call for the inauguration of the Committee is sequel to the fulfilment of the Government of Nigeria’s obligation on the financing arrangement and subsequent signing of theFinancing Agreement for the Implementation of PIDACC/NBin Nigeria with African Development Fund. “As part of the Financing Agreements, the Focal Ministry, the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, has setup the National Programme Coordination Unit (NPCU) with the appointment and recruitment of key-staff to implement the programme after receiving Federal ExecutiveCouncil’s (FEC) approval for the implementation of the PIDACC/NB in Nigeria on 9th May, 2019. Consequently, in order to further strengthen the governance of the Programme, the under listed membership of the Committee was constituted and approved in January 2020,” he said. Welcoming the committee members, the Permanent Secretary and chairperson of the committee, Mrs Walson-Jack, said the programme when completed will benefit over 40.8 million Nigerians.
