Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscape (ACReSAL), a World Bank intervention project, has announced plans to begin implementation and construction of approximately 3.7 kilometre of erosion control works that cut across very populated areas of Bulbula Gayawa in Nassarawa and Tudun Fulani in Ungogo Local Government Areas of Kano State.
Rarin in Dawakin Tofa LGA, Kauyen Alu in Tarauni LGA, and Kamanda in Kiru LGA are some of the other locations where the project will build erosion control structures. Yan Sabo in Tofa LGA, Yan Titi in Shanono LGA, Fajewa in Takai LGA, and Dawan Kaya in Makoda LGA will be the locations where dams will be built.
The ACReSAL Project Coordinator, Musa Shuaibu who disclosed this when he led members of his team on an advocacy visit to the Sarkin-Dawaki Babba and Hakimin Nassarawa, Aminu DanAgundi, said it has got the approval of the designs of the sites from the World Bank hence the commencement of the implementation.
Shuaibu who doubles as the Executive Secretary of Watershed Erosion and Climate Change Management Agency, WECCAM formerly known as NEWMAP said, a team of consultants engaged by the World Bank are to undertake the environment and social safeguard studies of the areas for the intended intervention as well as a resettlement action plan.
According to him, “For a long, we have been pursuing this thing to be conducted by the World Bank but it was just recently that the designs of the sites were cleared by the World Bank and we are now ready for implementation.
“This project is inherited from the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project, NEWMAP which intends to work on five erosion sites in Kano State that include this one at Bulbula Gayawa in Nassarawa LGA, Rarin in Dawakin Tofa LGA, Kauyen Alu in Tarauni LGA, Kamanda in Kiru LGA and Tudun Fulani in Ungogo LGA. These are all erosion sites that the Ministry of Environment from the onset initiated the process for these sites to be considered under this project.
“We also have four conservation areas which include Yan Sabo in Tofa, Yan Titi in Shanono, Fajewa in Takai as well as Dawan kaya in Makoda. We now have the designs of all these areas completed by the Engineer. They are now cleared for implementation by the World Bank. As you are aware, we have executed one in Yan Sabo in Tofa. It is our hope that under this project, ACReSAL, the three remaining sites will be implemented as well as the five erosion sites.
“At the moment, we are at the stage where consultants will be engaged by the World Bank to undertake environment and social safeguard studies of the areas for the intended intervention as well as a resettlement action plan. The consultants will go along the corridor of the 3.7km to know who and who within the corridor and those to be affected by the work and size of land and come up with their compensations”, Shuaibu however stated.
Earlier, the consultant, Hajiya Gambo Mustapha said the essence of the visit to the traditional leader was to intimate him about the project in order to help sensitize people of the communities where the project will be executed to ensure smooth execution of work in the areas.
On his part, the Sarkin-Dawaki Babba and Hakimin Nassarawa, Aminu DanAgundi however appealed to the residents to give the team maximum cooperation during the execution of the project in order to achieve the desired results.
Meanwhile, the ACReSAL project which is been funded by the World Bank with support from the Federal Government and Kano State government is to be run by the ministries of Agriculture and Water Resources under the supervision of the Ministry of Environment.
