FG moves to safeguard, revitalise Lake Chad Basin from shrinking

The Federal Government has taken a bold step towards finding sustainable solutions by safeguarding and revitalizing shrinking Lake Chad Basin.

Suleiman Adamu, Minister of Water Resources and current Chairman of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) disclosed this at the Regional Validation Workshop in Abuja on Thursday

The workshop was for the revised terms of reference for the in-depth study on improving the hydraulic capacity of the Chari-Logone catchment and development of the Lake Chad.

He stated that the workshop was also to operationalise the directives of the Summit of Heads of States and Government of the Commission on safeguarding the Lake.

Represented by Alice Ojowu, Director of Planning and Technical Support Services, Adamu said this was in keeping with the 65th Ordinary Council of Ministers of the LCBC held in Yaoundé, Cameroon on 18th December 2019.

He said the council directed the Commission to explore ways and resources for expediting the study.

Adamu said: “ I am pleased to note the centrality that the development of the ToR that will be validated today has been given in the scheme of work of the Commission over the period under review.’’

He said the Lake Chad Basin was impacted by the effects of climate variability and change as biodiversity loss, reduction in quality, among others, was being witnessed on a daily basis.

He saidd that the workshop would provide the requisite and unique platform for decisive actions that would form the basis for sustainable interventions in the region.

The minister expressed optimism that they would create a cooperative and inclusive regional dynamic that would ensure the sustainable development of the region.

“Recall that sometimes last year in the month of June 21, 2021, we all came to this place at this very facility to try to engage a consultant who was supposed to carry out the study, unfortunately evaluation was not responsive,”he added.

Giving reasons for that, he said, “because three contractors submitted the application and one of them was thrown out because it was only in French.”

Aamu said the working material of Lake Chad Basin Commission was in three languages.

“After today’s meeting, it is expected that the Lake Chad Basin Commission will now look at whatever would be the outcome of this meeting.

“They will also look for the resources that would help them now to engage a consultant to carry out in-depth studies,” the minister said.