Ango underscored the pressing need to tackle the widespread land degradation in the FCT caused by decades of infrastructural growth and rapid population growth of the city.

He highlighted the need to implement proactive measures to restore affected landscapes and promote sustainable land management practices to safeguard the environment for future generations.

He emphasized the part of the project’s focus on alleviating the economic hardships faced by local communities whose livelihoods depend on the land.

He urged committee members to actively contribute their technical expertise, especially in supporting the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) in developing a well-structured and actionable workplan that effectively addresses the Territory’s distinct environmental and socio-economic challenges.

Ango praised the PIU for their commitment to executing key interventions across the FCT, a milestone that has secured the Territory’s progression to the Tier 2 funding stage of the project. He further encouraged the team to intensify stakeholder engagement efforts to ensure the successful achievement of the project’s land restoration targets as set by the World Bank.

Earlier in her remarks, FCT ACReSAL Project Coordinator, Mrs. Caroline Opara, expressed gratitude to the World Bank and the Federal Project Management Unit (FPMU) of the ACReSAL Project for their guidance. She acknowledged that while the project’s progress to Tier 2 is commendable, there remains a need to accelerate restoration efforts to meet the targets set for the FCT.

The meeting featured active engagement, with committee members deliberating on practical strategies to strengthen project implementation across the FCT.