World Bank has announced a grant of $2 million to Akwa Ibom State in support of programmes initiated by the state to mitigate impact of climate change and ensure the usage of clean energy.
An official of the bank, Amos Abu, made the announcement at the opening of the first Akwa Ibom State climate change and clean energy summit, taking place in Uyo, the state capital.
Abu said the amount was the take off grant to the state government aimed at supporting activities undertaken by the state, adding that the bank had set aside a total $30 million for the mitigation of climate change impact.
The bank is happy to partner the state government because ‘’it has proved to be transparent, focused and development oriented,’’ he said, adding that those are the qualities required by the bank.
He said the bank continue to support programmes aimed at poverty reduction and environmental sustainability and urged all countries to avail themselves with the opportunity of climate change to create jobs for the people.
In his remarks, Anthony Nyong, a representative of the African Development Bank expressed readiness to work with the federal government to ensure that the right policies that would promote agriculture and industrialisation are formulated.
Nyong said the bank has so far spent over $12 million in support of climate change activities in the last couple of years adding that it plans to spend additional $5 million yearly to tackle the challenge of climate change.
Nyong, who represented the president of the African Development Bank expressed dismay that African countries are spending $36 billion yearly on food imports adding that the bank is keen on transforming the continent by harnessing and investing in talents that abound in Africa.
He expressed dismay over the huge number of Africans who drown in the Mediterranean Sea while fleeing poverty and conflict at home saying that the bank is committed to bringing ‘light to the continent ‘ by ensuring that it is industrialised within ten years.
Welcoming the participants, Governor Udom Emmanuel said the summit was organised to highlight the impact of climate change as it affects the state being a major oil producer as well as having the longest coastline in the country.
The governor lamented that as a result of climate change activities, several houses in the state had been submerged while several parts of the state had been ravaged by gully erosion and called on the Federal Government to provide assistance in tackling ecological challenges facing the state.
He said the state government would work with the African Development Bank and the World Bank to have access to funds available for the mitigation of climate change activities.
He solicited the support of investors in establishing clean technology hub and zero emission zone in the state adding that the state government remains committed to providing clean energy and sustainable development programmes that would guarantee environmental friendliness,
The summit attracted experts in various fields as well as the minister of environment who was represented by the minister of state.
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