Chuks Oyema-Aziken
Newly appointed National Project Coordinator (NPC) of the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL), Abdulhamid Umar has assumed office, with a vow to promote inclusiveness.
Receiving a hand-over report from immediate past Acting National Project Coordinator and the project Water Resources Specialist, Engr. Anda Yalaks, he appealed for support to deliver on the entire project development objective (PDO) of which the Federal Government of Nigeria approached the World Bank.
He said the investment is to tackle issues surrounding land degradation, poverty, hopelessness and climatic challenges.
Umar said he will depend on the human capital and the process which has been articulated and made easy in the PIM and PAD of the project as well as technology to drive the project delivery for the benefit of people.
The NPC vowed to promote human capital development and stated his zero tolerance for truancy. He said timeline must be met as he looks forward to receiving 21 awards in the course of the project implementation.
He cautioned that the project funds must be judiciously used for the purpose it was borrowed for, and promised to give the state project coordinators all the necessary support in terms of coordination and oversight functions.
In his remarks, Engr. Anda commended the entire ACReSAL team for their support.
“Today is a historic day in ACReSAL, today is the beginning of a new era, today is the beginning of a new paradigm shift in ACReSAL, it is historic because I am not just handing over to anybody but to a friend and a brother, who has been trusted and tested, who is bringing in innovation, technology to the project” Engr. Anda said.
He appreciated the project team for the support extended to him and appealed that the same should be given to the NPC.
He informed the NPC that ACReSAL staff capacity is already built as the staff developed the project implementation manual (PIM) internally. He noted that the project documents as well as the approved work and procurement plans have been electronically transmitted to the NPC and project institutional arrangement is embedded in the PIM.
Speaking on behalf of the State Coordinators, Alhaji Musa Shuaibu, the project coordinator Kano ACReSAL and Chairman of the ACReSAL state project coordinator forum welcomed the NPC and assured him of the Project Coordinators support and willingness to work with him in the project.
The event that had all the ACReSAL participating state project coordinators and their respective officers connecting virtually.
