FG raises concern over 40 million inhabitants threatened by receding Lake chad basin

Ibrahim Usman Jibril the Minister of Environment said the federal Government is concerned about the threat to life of over 40 million people whose life has direct link to the receeding Lake Chad basin.

The Lake Chad Basin was initially full at 25 000sqkm ,but has been adversely affected by climate change and has receded to 2000sqkm.

The Minister said the government is more worried that water from Lake Chad can no longer flow to Nigeria again,noting further that it is an area that houses more than 40% of the cattle population,livestocks.

The Lake Chad Basin is also a home to more than 40 million people,while linking to other countries like chad,Cameroon,Niger.

As a result of this development, the Federal Government and the World Bank Group has kicked off a workshop on Tuesday in Abuja ,which aims to provider a comprehensive understanding of the new Environmental and social requirements the World Bank will be applying to new investments projects it finances starting from October 2018.

The framework,according to the World Bank Country director for Nigeria Rachid Benmessaoud‎,provides a broad coverage of environmental and social issues,including important advances on transparency,non discrimination,social inclusion,public participation and accountability.

He pointed out that the environmental Social Framework also places more emphasis on strengthening borrower government’s own capacity to deal with environmental and social issues.

Also,the the World Bank’s environmental and social framework aims to ensure that the people and the environment are protected from the potential adverse impacts of the projects it finances.

The framework specifically assists the borrowing government’s to manage certain environmental and social risks in investments projects proposed for the World Bank financing support.

‎Earlier in his remarks,the Minister commended the initiative of the world Bank in coming up with the framework,noting that Nigeria would work closely with the World Bank to achieve a better environment.

HARRISON EDEH & CYNTHIA EGBOBOH, ABUJA