By Joyce Remi- Babayeju- with agency report
Abuja (SundaitaPost) The World Bank has assisted the Federal Government in setting up a Multi- Sectoral Crisis Recovery Project for the Lake Chad region, MCRP, to revamp Boko Haram devastation in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States in the Northern region of the country.
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq at the inauguration of the National Steering Committee is to kick- start and enable an effective implementation of the Lake Chad Region Recovery and Development Project, PROLAC in the three states.
Farouq explained that the PROLAC which is a World Bank Project is to support recovery and development of the Lake Chad Region following the devastation of the Boko Haram insurgency particularly in Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon. “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.
According to the minister, the MCRP implementation model had been tested to be successful in putting the region on the path to recovery and stability, adding that on the strength of this Nigerian government requested for additional financing to address some unmet gaps in the region.
She said that the MCRP-PROLAC is geared 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.
National Coordinator MCRP-PROLAC, Mr Muhammed Danjuma, noted that there is the need for regional and state committees to be constituted for effective coordination and implementation of the project, and called for robust and timely communication and information sharing among members.
“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 prioritization 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 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 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.
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