KWACReSAL, Synergy Consult Train SSC, STC Members

...Teamwork, collaboration vital to drive KWACReSAL project - TTL

...ACReSAL is a community focused-investment project - NPC

In a remarkable move to enhance the capacity of its relevant stakeholders in the project, the Kwara State Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (KWACReSAL), in collaboration with the Synergy Impact Consultants Limited have organized a five-day Intensive Capacity Building Training for the Kwara ACReSAL Project Steering and Technical Committee members (STC).

The enhancement training, which took place at the Exclusive Serene Hotel and Suite, Wuye, Abuja from Monday 14th - Friday 18th April, 2025 had in attendance stakeholders from the three core MDAs, Environment, Agriculture and Rural Development as well as Water Resources, including the Ministry of Finance and others.

Declaring the workshop open, the Chairman, State Steering Committee, who also doubles as the Commissioner for Environment, Hajia Nafisat Musa Buge, representing the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, appreciated KWACReSAL for the initiative to learn, unlearn and relearn the objectives of the project as it unfolds.

"On behalf of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (CON), I wish us all a good learning process as the consultants will be taking us for the next 5 days to learn as His Excellency is looking forward to seeing KWACReSAL as the best and number one among the 19 Northern States including the FCT" she said.

Earlier in his welcome address, the State Project Coordinator, Alhaji Shamsideen Olatunbosun Aregbe lauded the Governor of Kwara State for his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment towards achieving environmental sustainability, agricultural development, enhanced food security and increased livelihood in the State.

According to him, "the privilege His Excellency has given us to operate in KWACReSAL creates a landmark for what the project has achieved today which is commended by both the World Bank and the Federal Project Management Unit (FPMU)".

"Also, to the Committee members, your magnificent feat has paved the way for the  World Bank's unconditional clearance to organize the retreat which will serve as an avenue for everyone to have deeper knowledge of the ACReSAL Project" he added.

The SPC emphasized that the training will give opportunities to the committee members to have broadened knowledge of their roles and responsibilities towards the realisation of the Development Objectives of the project.

The participants at the Workshop included: the Co-chairmen of the ACReSAL Project, Kwara State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Afeez Abolore Alabi; with his counterpart, State Commissioner for Water Resources, Hon Yunusa Lade; the State Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Hauwa Nuru; Permanent Secretary of Environment, Dr Ayinla Abubakar; Permanent Secretary of Finance, Folorunsho Abdulrasaq; Permanent Secretary of Water Resources, Mrs Christianah Asonibare, Permanent Secretary, Agricultural and Rural Development, Mrs Funke Shokoya; the Special Assistant to the Governor on Non-Governmental Affairs, Ahmed Usman Babakano; Senior Assistant to the Governor on Small Scale Farmers' Intervention Suleiman Abdullahi; Directors from the three Line MDAs, FoNGO representatives and some SPMU representatives.

Some officials of the World Bank and the Federal Project Management Unit (FPMU) were led to the training by the Task Team Leader for the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL), Dr Joy Iganya Agene, and the National Project Coordinator, Alhaji Abdulhamid Umar.

In her speech, Dr. Agene tasked the Kwara State Steering and Technical Committee members to embrace teamwork and collaboration in the delivery of the project's core mandate at all levels. She emphasised the roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder at the apex level for the policy formation and sustainability of the project.

The TTL pointed out to the committee members that technical assignments should be handled technically. "You will see that we are moving out to agencies and mechanisms to ensure the sustainability of ACReSAL, so this is where you really come in. And on the technical side, everything should be technical. That is why you are there. In the design of ACReSAL, we ensure that we carve out the obstacles to make sure that we get your input when it comes to technical matters", she added.

The TTL further explained that KWACReSAL should have its catchment management plan and a bankable design for intervention sites with no objection as well as adequate evaluation. According to her, "ACReSAL is a performance driven project, so any slow down should be managed quickly at all levels as the focus is about delivering ACReSAL for the people at the community level.”

Also speaking, the National Project Coordinator of the  ACReSAL, AbdulHamid Umar described the ACReSAL Project as a community-based focused-investment project dwelling on the rural communities that are germane in achieving the project's development objectives.

In his presentation titled: "The Institutional Arrangement", the NPC acknowledged the status of attendance as he noted that "ACReSAL is one of the most unique and exciting projects because of its checks and balances built from experiences derived from other earlier projects.

The NPC noted that the project seeks to deliver the mandate of turning brown to green as its slogan goes... greening the environment, saving lives.Outlining the structure of the ACReSAL Project, Umar stated that the World Bank, through the Task Team Leader, Dr Joy Iganya Agene, stands at the apex of the project representing the 'LENDER' and defending all transactions as well as operating other crucial tasks of granting no objections and approvals.

The structure of the Federal Project Management Unit (FPMU), chaired by the Chairman Steering, the  Minister, Federal Ministry of Environment with Ministers from the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Agriculture as co- Chairmen. The Federal Technical Committee is chaired by the Federal Permanent Secretary of Environment. The Federal Project Management Unit (FPMU) is headed by the NPC with professionals as specialists. They are the chief information managers, data keepers and supervisors of the project. 

The ACReSAL structure at the State is coordinated by the State Project Management Unit (SPMU) which is at the heart of the project. It is headed by the State Project Coordinator (SPC) with different experts seconded from the civil service after  evaluation for the project implementation. The State Steering Committee is chaired by the Commissioner, Ministry of Environment and co-chaired by his/her colleagues in the Ministries of Water Resources and Agriculture.  The State Technical Committee, on its part is chaired by the Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Environment. 

He stressed that the SPMU collates data of performance at the State level and enrich the data base at the Federal level, hence the structure must judiciously operate with accountability and transparency.

Resource persons at the retreat included Ibeneme Sylvester Uchechukwu, the Geospatial Information Specialist (GIS) of the Federal Project Management Unit (FPMU) who presented a paper on "Catchment Management Plan" and its relevance to the project's core mandate.

In the same vein, the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist of the FPMU, Mr Muktar Tanko also delivered a presentation on the "Overview of the ACReSAL Project".

Other officials from the World Bank and FPMU that accompanied the TTL and NPC are: Ms. Ugonne Margaret Wunyi; Mr Joseph Abang; Mr Adebayo Saheed Eniola, Data Analytics Specialist; and Mr Utenami Sarki, the ICT Specialist.

Several facilitators took the committee members through various sessions of capacity building. They included Mrs. Maureen Ideozu who presented on "Effective Team Building in Project Management".

Another presenter was Mr Samuel Alabi, who spoke on the "Concept of Project Management". While Dr Arokoyo elaborated on the presentation titled; "Understanding Group  dynamics in Team management ".

Other presentations were:

* Strategic Conflict Management in Project

* Leadership Skills as a Tool in Team Management 

* Leadership

Declaring the event closed, the State Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Buge said the workshop should serve as a starting point to the delivery of the core mandate of the ACReSAL Project for Kwara State.

Earlier, she appreciated the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for his giant strides in facilitating productive activity for the State as well as Synergy Impact Consultants Limited for the impactful presentation which will help brace up individual responsibilities to the State as a whole.

In his vote of thanks,  the KWACReSAL SPC,  Alhaji Aregbe lauded the Executive Governor of Kwara State for creating an enabling environment for the project to operate in the State. He also appreciated the committee members for their unwavering support and guidance, which has served as a driving force for the project.

Part of the activity at the workshop was a courtesy visit by the team to the Office of the Federal Project Management Unit, Abuja, where the team was well received by the National Project Coordinator, Mr Abdulhamid Umar with his team of specialist. The training also featured the award presentation of certificates to all the participants.

Okanlawon Taiwo 

KWACReSAL

07030113331