THE newly appointed National Project Coordinator (NPC) of the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL), Mr. Abdullamid Umar, has taken over as the substantive Project Coordinator from the Engr. Anda Yalaks who was in acting capacity for some years.
This came in a press statement signed by the Plateau State ACReSAL Information Officer, Mr. Mathew Bawul and made available to SUNDAY STANDARD in Jos, the state capital shortly after the handing over ceremony held in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory recently.
Delivering the handing-over note, the immediate past Acting National Project Coordinator who is the Project Water Resources Specialist, Engr. Anda Yalaks, said the event had all the ACReSAL participating States Project Coordinators and their respective officers connecting virtually.
Engr. Anda welcomed all the participants and introduced the NPC to the entire ACReSAL team, appreciating all the NPC’s former colleagues who came to support him as he handed over the leadership of the project. He stated “Today is a historic day in ACReSAL. Today is the beginning of a new era and it is the beginning of a new paradigm shift in ACReSAL.
“It is historic because I am not just handing over to anybody but to a friend and a brother, who has been trusted and tested, who is bringing in innovation, technology to the project. ACReSAL is a family, and we must work together. Let me inform you that ACReSAL staff capacity is already built as the staff were developed in the project implementation manual (PIM) internally”, he highlighted.
According to him, “it is indeed a historic event because GOD has given me the opportunity to steer the affairs of the Project right from planning to the approval and it was successfully led by the Project Team to deliver on two major events: Hybrid implementation support mission to Kano State as well as the Work and Procurement Clinic that lasted for two weeks in Lagos, etc”.
Yalaks, therefore, appreciated the Project Team for the support extended to him and appealed that the same should be given the incoming NPC noting that, what was important was delivering the project and they must achieve that collectively.
Responding, the new NPC, Mr. Abdullamid Umar, congratulated Engr. Anda for the successful planning and approval of project as well as handing-over and expressed joy that, Yalaks was still in the project.
He appreciated the ACReSAL Federal Steering Committee Chairmen, Hon. Ministers of Environment, Agriculture and Water Resources and the World Bank for finding him worthy to join the ACReSAL existing family that was well structured and diverse.
“Based on the project documents, ACReSAL is well structured because it speaks to the downtrodden at the community level, right through to the state and local government levels. He pointed out that the project will surely address the gaps and challenges that climate change has caused in the 19 northern states and FCT.
“I want to appeal to all of you to join hands to ensure that we deliver on the entire Project Development Objective (PDO) of which the Federal Government of Nigeria approached the World Bank for an investment which is for the benefit of our people so that issues surrounding land degradation, poverty, hopelessness and climatic challenges will be reduced heavily”, Umar appealed.
He, however, commended those who have travelled to the catchment areas of the 19 Northern states and FCT for actually designing the project that brought over $700m to be invested describing it as a well thought idea because there was high level of land degradation in the frontline states as a result of issues surrounding climate change, hence the need for them to work together in delivering the project because he cannot do that all alone other than providing leadership.
Speaking on behalf of the State Coordinators, Alhaji Musa Shuaibu, who is the Project Coordinator Kano ACReSAL and Chairman of the ACReSAL State Project Coordinator Forum, welcomed the new NPC and assured him that he was in the right place at the right time.
He also assured him of the Project Coordinators’ support and willingness to work with him in the project. He thanked Engr. Anda Yalaks for his commitment and working diligently in the planning to see to the approval of the project for the good of humanity.
