THE World Bank, yesterday, expressed its resolve to partner with states that have keyed into the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project, NEWMAP, to protect the lives of Nigerians in erosion prone areas. Senior Human Resource/Business Partner, Central and West Africa, in the World Bank, Mr Chude Ezinwa, made the disclosure during the opening ceremony of a one week training programme organized by the World Bank in conjunction with Federal NEWMAP for NEWMAP States Project Management Unit, held in Asaba with four states in attendance.
Commending Delta State Government for paying up its start-up and counterpart funds of N30 million and N500 million respectively, Ezinwa said other states were already keying into the project. Earlier, Delta State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. John Nani, reiterated the state government’s resolve to support NEWMAP and ensure its success in the state. Confirming that the state government had paid its start up and counterpart funds amounting to N530 million for the project, Nani said the training programme was to equip participants with modern skills that would manifest in prompt delivery of the project in record time.