CHUKS OYEMA-AZIKEN writes that the Federal Government through the Ecological Project Office (EPO), Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation is restoring hope to communities devastated by erosion.
Communities devastated by erosion across the country may have no reason to agonise again with efforts been made by the federal government.
In the past, these communities in extreme cases have had to be vacated, while in some others economic well-being of the people have been severly affected due to gully erosion and other ecological problems.
But between May 29, 2015 and November 29, 2021, the Ecological Fund Office, now known as the Ecological Project Office, Office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation has continued to steadfastly attend to these cases across the six (6) geo-political zones in the country.
According to the Permanent Secretary, EPO, Dr. Habiba Lawal, a total of 291 projects were awarded, while 253 projects have been completed.
She said the number of on-going projects stands at 38, while 19 new projects are undergoing procurement.
“Meanwhile, we have a total of 2,165 requests for intervention requiring N3.096trillion as at 29th November 2021.
At the 2021 media interactive session, she said the name “Ecological Fund Office” (EFO) was changed to “Ecological Project Office” (EPO) to address the perception and reputation/ challenges facing the Ecological Fund Office.
“Indeed it became necessary given recent heightened propagation of some misconception by members of the public as well as within Government, as to the position/role of the Office in relation to the Ecological Fund.
“For purposes of clarity, the Ecological Fund is the Special Intervention Fund created to provide fund to address deserving ecological problems nationwide. The fund is deliberately under the control of Mr. President so as to make its utilization (as an intervention fund) prompt, effective and free from some bureaucratic bottlenecks to fast track emergency deployment.
“The Office only receives requests, identifies, keeps records and advises Mr. President on, as well as execute approved projects.
“As opposed to the misconception in the public domain, Ecological Fund Office is one of the several beneficiaries of the Federal Government’s share of the Ecological Fund and is not responsible for the management of the entire fund.
“The name “Ecological Fund Office” therefore suggests, as is being wrongly propagated, that the office and the fund are one and the same. As a matter of fact, the name gives out the Office more as a fund management office, without any indication from the plain meaning of the name, that the office is actually a project management, identification, planning and execution office.
‘It was in the light of these that it became expedient to change the name from Ecological Fund Office to Ecological Project Office with emphasis on the difference in the operational words “Fund and Project”. This has to a large extent, changed the wrong narrative and misconception as to the status of the Office and the attendant reputational challenges.
The PS said that the biannual request and approval, which ensure that every geo-political zone is captured in the approval by Mr. President tremendously quickened the speed of response and intervention to ecological challenges.
“Our stakeholder forum for sensitization and awareness creation among benefiting communities before project commencement has yielded the desired result as stakeholders – benefitting communities have keyed into our processes and principles governing project execution.
“The result is less resistance and less demand for financial benefits from benefiting communities to contractors leading to smooth execution and timely completion of projects.
“The introduction of manuals to educate our stakeholders has given effect to a more informed and equipped stakeholders. Today, our stakeholders are aware of our processes and procedures thereby further simplify our activities.
“Our monitoring template for project officers, an innovation that came on board last year, has enhanced and simplified our monitoring process. We have today credible outcome from our project officers as there is appropriate deployment of the template. All our projects are accurately tracked at each stage of work. Indeed, all these strategies put in place are working effectively as expected.
Dr Habiba said that funding has remained a challenge as many other agencies draw from the one percent of the Federal Government share of ecological fund.
“Due to this funding challenge, it has been difficult to address a huge databank of project requests received from all stakeholders that cut across the six (6) Geo-political zones.
“These challenges notwithstanding, Ecological Project Office remains resolute and committed towards addressing the numerous ecological challenges across the country. It is our hope that as funding improves, we would be able to respond to the ecological challenges of many communities.
The Director, Special Duties, EPO, Mr. David Haruna said that the ecological challenges confronting the country are enormous when compared with available resources.
