Gombe to benefit from $700 million ACReSAL pool
The Gombe State Government is set to benefit from a pool of 700 million dollar fund pool of the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi Arid Landscapes.
This was announced at the launch of the programme, where the Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, announced that Gombe State has been bedeviled with several issues, primary among which is the prevalence of gully erosion in the state, which currently spans about 20km.
The Governor recounted previous efforts of his administration to curb the challenges, he said
“Gombe is facing a great number of climate challenges which has affected farmers and communities, leading to the launch of the Gombe goes green, and the program engaged 27,000 young people…and also partnered with Newmap to curtail erosion along Mallam Inna, Kagarawal, Sabon Fegi and Gombe State University environs,” the governor said.
The Governor noted that his administration has paid 503 million naira, as counterpart funding to be able to benefit from the ACRESAL program, among other requirements.
The Governor expressed joy that the program will help in combating desertification and deforestation and also enhance environmental sustainability, reassuring Gombe state populace of his administration’s commitment to ensuring natural resource conservation and environmental sustainability.
In her remarks, the Project Task Team Leader ACReSAL, Dr Joy Iganya Agene, noted that the objective of ACReSAL is to increase sustainable, landscape management practices and strengthen institutions.
She noted that the ACReSAL program has 3 main components vis; Dry land management, Community climate resilience and Strengthen institutions.
Agene emphatically stressed that,
“ACRESAL project is a 700 million dollar project, and it is a loan, not a grant.”
She noted that the project is time based and is expected to end in 2028.
In an interview with journalists, Ambassor Sani Adamu Jauro, noted that the project will focus on improving the lives of those living along the 21km gully erosion corridor by providing them with materials to improve their living conditions. These materials include, sewing machines, tricycles, motorbikes, and also a speedboat, among other things.
Jauro added, “there are those we have trained in the areas of waste to wealth, there are others we have trained in bead making, cloth making, soap making and many others…so tricycles will be given to those men we have trained in waste to wealth, some will be given motorcycles, we have equipments that will be given to those who are going to be raising seedlings in Kanawa forest.”
ACReSAL is expected to fund projects across the 11 LGA areas of the state within the six month period, without a ceiling, while a repayment plan is being worked out with the state government.
