By Asmau Ahmad
The African Development Bank (AfDB), has signed a 362,000 Euros grant agreement with Hadejia Jama’are Komadugu Yobe Basin-Trust Fund.
The bank in a statement said the grant would prepare additional studies under the second-phase of developing a strategic plan for managing water resources in the Komadugu-Yobe Basin in northern Nigeria.
“Specifically, the grant will support the preparation of a Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) for the Challawa Gorge Dam Watershed Management Project and a stakeholder engagement plan.
“It will support a grievance redress mechanism, and stakeholder consultations involving riparian communities and the Lake Chad Basin Commission comprising Cameroon, Chad, Nigeria and Niger Republic.
“The project will be implemented over eight months and the Hadejia-Jama’are-Komadugu-Yobe Basin Trust Fund will execute the project.”
According to the statement, the Trust Fund is jointly funded by the six states of Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Plateau and Yobe, in collaboration with the Federal Government of Nigeria.
It quoted the Director-General of the Bank’s Nigeria Country Department, Lamin Barrow, as saying the programme would ensure long-term water security for the local people.
“The Komadugu Yobe Multi-Purpose Water Resources Development Programme will support socio-economic development, enhanced livelihoods, and environmental sustainability,” Barrow said.
The Executive-Secretary, Hadejia Jama’are Komadugu Yobe Trust Fund, Dr Hassan Bdliya, thanked the Bank for its continued support toward sustainable water resources management in the Komadugu-Yobe Basin.
Bdliya said: “we are very grateful to AfDB for its support. The Bank has been supporting us since 2016 and the impact of its support has been tremendous.
“The implementation of this project will have a positive impact on the people within the Komadugu-Yobe Basin.
“The Hadejia Jama’are Komadugu Yobe Trust Fund will work diligently with all stakeholders to ensure the timely completion of the studies,” Bdliya said.
The Komadugu Yobe Multi-Purpose Water Resources Development investment programme is a top priority of the Federal Government due to its immense long-term benefits to the inhabitants of six riparian States in Northern Nigeria.
It also aligns with the country’s development agenda, including the Medium-Term National Development Plan (2021- 2025) and Vision 2050.
Created in 2006, the Hadejia-Jama’are-Komadugu-Yobe Basin Trust Fund is an innovative platform for joint intervention by the riparian states.
With the support of the Federal Government for augmenting line agencies in addressing the Komadugu Yobe Basin land and water resources issues.
