The Benue State Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project has joined forces with the Gwer Area Traditional Council to brainstorm on how best to combat the pressing climate challenges confronting the area. A stakeholder engagement was held in Aliade, Gwer Local Government Area with some members of the State Technical Committee, Focal Non-Governmental Organization (FONGO), and staff of the State Project Monitoring Unit of Benue ACReSAL in attendance.
Sensitizing the Traditional Rulers on the objectives of ACReSAL, the State Project Coordinator, Bldr. Victor Ama said ACReSAL is a World Bank-assisted project that is aimed at alleviating poverty arising from climate change and poor land use practices and increasing food production, helping communities to adopt dry season farming through irrigation as well as restoring land degradation.
Bldr. Ama added that the project will specifically target the inclusion of vulnerable and marginalized groups, including women, youth, the elderly, and Persons Living with Disabilities.
The State Project Coordinator who stressed the importance of engaging with the Traditional Rulers as custodians of communities before embarking on project intervention in their domains, emphasized that farmers and host communities in the Local Government will benefit immensely from the project with the introduction of Community Revolving Funds when they project takes off fully in the LGA. He tasked them to encourage their communities to embrace smart agriculture that will protect and ensure that the environment is safe for all and sundry.
Responding, The Ter Gwer and Chairman, Gwer Area Traditional Council, HRH. Chief Dominic Akpe thanked the State Project Coordinator and Benue ACReSAL for considering Gwer among the local governments for the ACReSAL Project intervention. He expressed optimism that ACReSAL like other World Bank Projects has come to impact positivity on communities in his domain.
He decried the increased illicit activities of saw-millers who fell trees indiscriminately in the local government without any recourse to the traditional institution and called on the state government to strengthen its monitoring mechanism to have firm control of the timber business. The Traditional Ruler assured the ACReSAL Team of his council’s cooperation and support of the project. He added that his Chiefs would go back and sensitize their communities in preparation for the intervention.
In his remarks, the Director of Forestry Services, Ministry of Water Resources, Environment, and Climate Change, Mr. Peter Gever assured the Traditional Rulers that his department would step up monitoring of activities of saw-millers but however, lamented the shortage of manpower which he disclosed that the administration of His Excellency, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Alia has requested for the needs of the department with a view of finding a solution.
He said the present government has prioritized Forestry and steps have been taken to address the challenges of forest management in the state by withdrawing the licenses given to saw-millers. He further said a committee is set up by the Governor to look into the activities of saw-millers and other timber dealers and recommend the best ways of conducting the business.
