NEWMAP-EIB’s PROGRESS AND ACHIEVEMENT.
The Assisted Nigeria Climate Adaptation-Erosion and Watershed Project (NEWMAP-EIB) has recorded several key milestones as it continues to advance its mission of combating soil erosion and promoting sustainable development across Nigeria. A major achievement is the successful finalization of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Federal Government and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) concerning the service level agreement. The project is now poised to officially sign off on this agreement, which will trigger the first phase of project disbursement.
In preparation for this critical phase, the project has also accomplished the following:
– Opening of Dedicated Project Accounts: Both Naira and Euro accounts have been established to manage project funds efficiently.
-Securing of Counterpart Funds: The Federal Project Management Unit (FPMU) and all participating states have successfully secured the necessary counterpart funds, ensuring financial readiness for project activities.
-Full Complementarity of Staff: The project now boasts a complete team of professionals across all participating states, ensuring that all roles are filled and operations can proceed smoothly.
-Office Accommodation and Project Vehicles: Adequate office accommodations have been secured, and project vehicles are available, providing the necessary infrastructure for effective project management.
-Development of Workplans: All participating states have developed comprehensive workplans, outlining the steps needed to achieve project objectives.
– Identification of Proposed Project Sites: All participating states have identified potential sites for intervention, laying the groundwork for targeted project activities.
These achievements set a strong foundation for the project’s future activities. The forthcoming disbursement of funds will enable the project to kickstart its preliminary activities, including the updating of safeguards frameworks and documents, engaging in short-term consultancies such as Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) baseline studies, and revising the Project Implementation Manual to align with the current operational framework.
With these accomplishments, NEWMAP is well-positioned to continue making significant progress in its efforts to reduce erosion vulnerability, enhance environmental resilience, and improve livelihoods across Nigeria.