As part of efforts to tackle the challenges confronting the operations of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), preparations are on top gear to implement a Five Year Investment Plan (FYIP) to the tune of 91,000,000 Euros that would bring about the improvement of the hydraulicity of the Chari and Logone rivers and the de-silting, erosion and evasive weeds control measures, in and around the Lake Chad to enable the Lake accommodate more flow.
The Executive Secretary of Lake Chad Basin Commission, Engineer Sanusi Imran Abdullahi made this known at the 60thOrdinary Session of the LCBC Council of Ministers Meeting in Niamey, Republic of Niger over the weekend.
Addressing delegates at the conference, Engineer Sanusi disclosed that the Five Year Investment Plan which is expected to commence in 2015 is an offshoot of the International Donors Round Table Conference in April 2014 at Bologna and Rimini Italy under the leadership of President ISSOUFOU Mahamadou, President and Head of State of Niger, current Chairman of the Summit of Heads of States and Governments of the LCBC.
“The amount of 91,000,000€ which was pledged (ADB- 86 million, BMZ- 5 million €) would be used to implement the LCBC FYIP”, he explained.
Engineer Sanusi explained that the Chairman of the Summit had set up the International Monitoring Committee to follow up on all pledges made during the Donor’s Conference headed by former President of EU Parliament Prof. PRODI Romano, to be assisted by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Members of the committee included representation of three multilateral financial institutions Africa Development Bank, World Bank and Eropean Union, a representation of a bilateral financial partner (Germany), Ministers of Planning of Niger, Chad and Nigeria and the Chairman Council of Ministers of the LCBC. The Executive Secretary LCBC is to serve as secretary, the committee was inaugurated in Niamey in (June 2014).
He urged member countries to show more commitment towards timely payment of statutory contributions. “The persisting challenge of non-timely payment of statutory contribution by member countries has continued to make it impossible for the Commission to carry out its planned and approved activities. This situation is making our development partners weary, and at times confused about our seriousness to sustain the Commission”, he emphasized.
Speaking on the commitment of AfDB towards the implementation of the FYIP the Bank’s Chief Technical Expert, Dr. Tounkara Samba Bocary said ADB had committed more than 100 million US Dollars for the implementation of FYIP.
In an interview, the representative of the Nigeria Minister of Water Resources, who is also a Director, Planning Research and Statistics of the Ministry Mr. Wakil Adamu, commended the efforts of Nigerian government toward reviving lake Chad Basin.
He said “ it is pertinent to note that Nigeria is the only country that have paid off its 2014 contributions and all its outstanding arrears, this alone, I am sure has contributed to the success recorded by the LCBC operations”
The LCBC Council of Ministers is an annual event in conformity with the rules of procedure of the Commission, to hold an ordinary session of the Council of Ministers annually, to present to the Commissioners the draft programme of activities and budget for the coming year for consideration and approval.
Boade Akinola
DD Press, FMWR
