The North-East Development Commission (NEDC) has extended collaboration with the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) in order to address the menace of environmental degradation across the Northeastern region.
Speaking during a visit led by the Chief Executive Officer of NEDC, Mohammed Alkali to the Executive Secretary, LCBC, Amb. Mamman Nuhu at N’Djamena, Chad, Alkali acknowledged that LCBC's strategies for recovering the Lake Chad Basin are similar to those of the NEDC in the recovery of the Northeast region as contained in its Master Plan.
He noted that NEDC views the LCBC as a strategic partner in the quest to actualise its developmental programmes as the regional body's activities strongly impact on the States of the North East.
According to him, the North East Stabilization and Development Master Plan (NESDMP) was devised to fulfill the NEDC’s mandate comprising 'Protected Environment' as one of its eleven key pillars.
This, he said, is categorized into Natural Ecology Conservation, Protection of Species and Ecological Communities, Environmental Protection, Biodiversity, Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation as well as Waste Management.
“Alkali explained that “the North-East as a region presents a compelling case for environmental concern due to its vast landmass, desertification, pollution, and climate change, as well as the shrinking of Lake Chad, ungoverned spaces, insurgency, and the attendant fragility these have occasioned.
“This fragility undermines food security and security of lives and property, agriculture and trade, the two most important livelihood activities sustaining the region, have been greatly undermined.
“The region's heightened herdsmen-farmers conflict is largely ascribable to environmental degradation, Lake Chad's recession, and human-induced activities such as mining, deforestation, irrigation, and dam constructions, it is argued.
“In light of the aforementioned issues, NEDC has continued to disseminate its North East Stabilization and Development Master Plan to Development Partners globally for effective implementation”.
The NEDC boss added that the Commission is currently intensifying the sustainable implementation of programmes tailored to the specific needs of the six states in the region, supplementing humanitarian interventions and disaster support.
Also speaking, Executive Secretary, LCBC, reiterated the importance of the partnership, saying “we certainly have a lot to do together and at our technical level, we will develop recommendations to strengthen our collaboration and enhance our stabilization initiatives.”
He observed that both organizations shared a commitment to the regional stabilization strategy established in 2018, which included nine pillars and numerous strategic objectives.
“The only limitation we have is funding, otherwise it is an excellent plan and it is adaptive. It is also inline with the Lake Chad Basin Commission Regional Stabilization Strategy which was developed in the year 2018,” he said.
0 Comments