The Minister of Environment, Barr. Muhammed H. Abdullahi has called on the National Stakeholders Technical Committee to implement West Africa Coastal Areas (WACA) Management Program to improve livelihoods of coastal communities in Nigeria.
Abdulahi, represented by the Director, Environmental Impact Assessment, Mr Abbas Sulieman, stated this during the one day national stakeholders technical committee meeting on West Africa Coastal Areas (WACA), Management held in Abuja, added that it will hold stakeholders accountable to further support the government’s drive.
Abdullahi stated that Nigeria will reduce the vulnerability of its coastal areas and promote climate-resilient integrated coastal management, within the framework of sustainable environmental management.
He noted that WACA will help Nigeria obtain financing and expertise to sustainably manage her coastal areas, enhance industrial competitiveness, market access, innovation and investment promotion.
“It will also promote productive employment for rural communities and entrepreneurship development, as well as sustainable energy and environmental management.
He urged all stakeholders especially, World Bank and its partners, to double their efforts at developing our coastal landscape, especially now that WACA is already being implemented in other West African Countries.
Responding, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Engr. Hassan Musa, represented by Mr Dilichukwu Etigbue, Director, Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management, said WACA was established in 2015 by the World Bank to manage growing coastal erosion and flooding problems in the West Africa region.
Musa said that WACA established a committee in 2016 to ensure that the programme covered a range of sectoral issues.
Engagement Leader and Lead Water Specialist, Sustainable Development, World Bank, Mr Francesso Mentovani, said that all countries in West Africa, including
Nigeria were committed to the implementation of the programme.
Mentovani said that the stakeholders’ meeting was convened to get the buy-in of all stakeholders on the way forward for WACA in Nigeria.
He said that the objective of the programme was to preserve, protect and tackle environmental issues such as desertification, climate change and other environmental challenges in the region.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tunji Bello, represented by Mr Adegbite Mohammed, said that the state had invested much funds in the programme.
Bello said the state had over 100km of coastal lands, adding that it was committed to creating seawall, thereby protecting promenades, roads and houses in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to intensify efforts for effective implementation of the programme.
According to him, “I will suggest that all the coastal states management should create a strong team to share their problems to make the implementation of the programme easier”.