FG inaugurates C’ttee for Lake Chad region development

The Federal Government on Monday inaugurated a National Steering Committee for the restructured Multi-sectoral Crisis Recovery Project (MCRP) currently being implemented in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States.
Inaugurating the committee, Sadiya Farouq, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, said the project would mark a milestone to kick-start activities towards the effective implementation of the MCRP Lake Chad Region Recovery and Development Project (PROLAC).
She said that the PROLAC which is a World Bank Project intended to support recovery and development of the Lake Chad Region would go a long way following the devastation of the Boko Haram insurgency particularly in Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.
“I will like to thank the distinguished steering committee members, the representatives of the World Bank and all our partners present for your commitment to the development of the Northeast and Nigeria as a whole.
“Nigeria is joining this project through the restructuring of the Multi-sectoral Crisis Recovery Project (MCRP) currently being implemented in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States.
“The Initial 200 Million-dollar project, which began on Feb. 16, 2018, MCRP has achieved significant progress as evidenced by the midterm report of the World Bank in November 2019, and it is on the trajectory to achieve its Project Development Objectives (PDO) and results despite a 10-month delay from Board Approval to Effectiveness,’’ she said.
Mrs Farouq said that the MCRP I implementation model had proven to be successful in putting the region on the path to recovery and stability.
This she said had provided the basis for the Federal Government to request for Nigeria to be included in the IDA financed PROLAC, through an additional financing to address the gap of unmet needs of the participating States in Nigeria.
She said that the MCRP-PROLAC would make great strides towards achieving its objectives while also calling for the continued support of the participating state governments, and the guidance of the steering committee for the successful implementation of the Project envisaged ending by the year 2024.
She commended the NEDC, and the World Bank for their continuous work in the realization and restructuring of the projects and the Lake Chad Basin Commission for their efforts in alleviating the common issues plaguing the countries of the region to ensure sustainable development and recovery.
Muhammed Danjuma, National Coordinator MCRP-PROLAC said that to ensure effective coordination and implementation of the project committees at various levels, Regional, National and State Steering Committee would be constituted.
He said that he envisaged that the committee would work seamlessly with membership overlaps to ensure robust and timely communications and sharing of relevant information.
“The functions of these committees would include providing oversight, strategic guidance, leverage and support towards the overall success of the Project.
“Reviewing and approving the consolidated annual work plans and budgets and making strategic decisions regarding the prioritisation of project outcomes and approving interim deliverables.
“Identifying potential risks and mitigating them and reviewing and approving the Contingent Emergency Response Component of the project to address immediate and effective response in the event of an eligible crisis or emergency.
“To ensure compliance with project implementation manuals, and subsidiary grant agreements with participating states and review state investment plans for alignment with federal government recovery and development plans, amongst others,’’ he said.
He noted that the national steering committee chaired by the minister would frequently meet twice in a year.
Members of the national steering committee are Minister Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development as Chairperson, Permanent Secretary, Finance; Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning or their Representative as members.
Others are the Managing Director of NEDC, one representative of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe State governors, MCRP Federal Coordinator Secretary, Nigerian Government’s PROLAC Focal Person Regional and Director of Social Development, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.(NAN)