Taraba Receives $200m World Bank Fund

Wole Ayodele in Jalingo

The World Bank has released the sum of $200m to Taraba State for the implementation of the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project in the state.

The Taraba State Coordinator of ACReSAL, Mr. Joshua Samaila Dumlti who disclosed this at a press conference in Jalingo, noted that the money is a part payment for the first quarter of 2023.

He further disclosed that the World Bank has supported the ACReSAL project in the 19 states of the North and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with the sum of $700m following the payment of counterpart funds by the participating states.

To qualify as a participant and benefit from the fund, Dumlti revealed that the Taraba State Government contributed the sum of N1b counterpart fund and has provided all the necessary support needed for the successful implementation of the project in the state.

According to him, “Gentlemen of the press, the World Bank has supported the ACReSAL project in the 19 Northern states and FCT with the sum of $700 million with each participating state contributing its counterpart fund to access the grant.

“It may also interest you to know that Taraba State Government contributed the sum of N1 billion for the state to qualify as participant and I am happy to inform you that the state has received the first installment of 200 million USD as part payment for the first quarter.”

The coordinator stated that the project was initiated in 2021 by the federal government in collaboration with the World Bank with the aim of protecting the country’s environment against degradation.

The project, which is to last for a period of six years, according to him, would increase the adoption of sustainable landscape management practices in targeted watersheds in Northern Nigeria, while strengthening Nigeria’s long-term framework for integrated Climatic Resilience in landscape management.

He maintained that the project also aims at improving agricultural landscapes, ensure the safeguard of lives, enhance livelihoods and provide erosion control measures in the project areas.

Other aims of the project is soil conservation, restoration of degraded landscapes, tackling of climate change issues, soil quality control, management of land, desertification and prevention/control of flooding and erosion, among others.