The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Utsev, issued the directive during a meeting with PIDACC National Project Coordinator, Baba Musa, and the Managing Directors of the four participating River Basin Development Authorities.

Utsev identified PIDACC/NB as an important intervention for improving the resilience of ecosystems, natural resources and vulnerable populations against the growing effects of climate change within the Niger Basin.

Emphasising the programme’s importance to national development, the minister said: “The programme is critical to national socio-economic development, hence the need for greater commitment and urgency in addressing implementation challenges”.

He stressed that the programme’s performance should be assessed based on the actual improvements recorded in beneficiaries’ lives rather than the number of projects launched or the volume of financial resources committed.

To address implementation setbacks, Utsev instructed relevant stakeholders to identify all outstanding issues and resolve them promptly. He also called for improved monitoring and supervision to strengthen accountability, ensure value for money and guarantee that projects are delivered within their stipulated timelines.

Meanwhile, the acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Ali Ibrahim Dallah, assured that the ministry would collaborate with the PIDACC National Project Coordinator and the heads of the four River Basin Development Authorities to address existing implementation gaps.

Dallah further assured that the ministry would work with the project leadership to ensure the programme is completed by next year.

SOURCE: eNews