Climate Change: Kogi Governor Presents N3B to Eighty Communities

By Chinedu Echianu

The Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo has presented the sum of three billion Naira (3,000,000,000) to over 2,381 direct beneficiaries in over 170 groups from 80 communities impacted by climate change under the Community Revolving Fund of the Agro-climate Resilience in Semi-arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project in partnership with the World Bank Group.

Special Adviser on Media to the Governor, Ismaila Isah made this known in a statement, saying the Governor presented cheques to the beneficiaries at an event in Government House in Lokoja on Monday.

Governor Ododo said the Community Revolving Fund is in line with his administration’s commitment to ensure food security and sustainable agricultural practices in the State.

While assuring that the Kogi State government will continue to provide enabling environment for the success and sustenance of the ACReSAL project, the Governor noted that the effort is in furtherance of the development agenda of the state to increase the adoption of sustainable landscape management, and to strengthen the long-term framework for integrated climate resilience landscape management and effective agricultural practices across communities in the 21 local government areas in the state.

He commended President Bola Tinubu for according priority to sustainable agriculture practice and for the unwavering commitment to enhance the welfare of families in all parts of Nigeria.

The Commissioner for Environment and Ecological Management, Engineer Joseph Oluwasegun in his speech, said the Community Revolving Fund seeks to place Kogi state on the map of states where food security and sufficiency are guaranteed in Nigeria.

The Governor therefore urged the benefiting groups and communities to utilize the fund with diligence and to demonstrate ability to ensure that other members of the community continue to benefit from the project.

Earlier in her address, the State Coordinator of AcreSal, Barrister Ladi Ahmed Jatto said the Community Revolving Fund (CRF) is an interest-free investment fund which began with the first phase of its disbursement in June 2024 with over 2,381 direct beneficiaries.

She emphasized that the second phase of the disbursement is a justification of the effective utilization of the first phase and the overall performance of the Kogi state government as adjudged by the World Bank Task Team.

She called on beneficiaries to make the best use of the fund, adding that the fund is a loan from the World Bank under guaranteed repayment by the state government.