KEHINDE EMMANUEL, ILORIN
Kwara state government with the support of the World Bank, has commenced an environmental project aimed at halting and remedying devastating effects of global warming, environmental degradation and related health challenges in the state.
Speaking during formal inauguration of both the state steering and technical committees of Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) in Ilorin on Wednesday, the state commissioner for Environment, Hon. Abosede Olaitan Braimoh, said that the state government had paid N500 million counterpart fund for the project implementation.
The commissioner, who described ACReSAL as a multi-sectoral project involving ministries of Environment, Agriculture and Water Resources, added that other sectors like Finance and Planning would provide the project with required support staff too.
Hon. Buraimoh, said that aside payment of N500 million counterpart fund, the state government had also approved and released about N5 million for the rehabilitation and minimal equipping of the project coordination office in the state Ministry of Environment.
She said that the project would be implemented through conscious build up of agricultural and climatic resilience of the environment in a strategic and sustainable manner.
She expressed hope that Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq would approve and ensure full fulfillment of the project’s effective readiness in the state in earnest.
Inaugurating the committees, the state deputy governor, Mr. Kayode Alabi, said that the inauguration of the two committees was part of the state’s demonstration of readiness to effectively kick-start the project in the state.
“There is no gain saying that His Excellency, Mall. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq led administration has been demonstrating the desire to sustainably develop the State through meaningful collaborations with sub national, national and international institutions to improve the State across board. It is indeed a manifestation of His Excellency’s love, concern and yearnings for a better Kwara.
“Honourable Commissioners, Permanent Secretaries, Directors and other members of the Committees, I congratulate you all for being worthy of selection to serve in these capacity. I urge you to be dedicated and painstakingly perform your duties in line with the laid down procedures in order to effectively and efficiently rid the State off the threatening environmental and climatic challenges in the shortest time ahead”.
