The Chairman of the Lake Chad Basin Commission Council (LCBC) of Ministers Mr. Suleiman Adamu, has called on member states to address the root causes of insurgency in the Lake Chad Basin.
Speaking at the opening of the 68th Ordinary Session of the LCBC of Ministers in Abuja on Monday, Adamu, who is Nigeria’s Nigeria’s Minister of Water Resources, said that regional leaders should not only provide guidance in addressing trans-boundary securities, but play their roles efficiently in order to sustainably develop the region.
“As such, we must commit appropriate resources and make a concerted effort to work together cooperatively toward the fulfillment of LCBC’s mandate and missions.
“Also, as member countries, we must support the LCBC Secretariat in its quest to implement programmes and projects dedicated to build resilience and advance sustainable development.
“Unfortunately, the Commission has been facing financial crisis due to the non-payment of financial contributions and arrears of contributions, in line with approved budgets,’’ he said
Adamu, said the meeting was an opportunity to provide guidance and direction in addressing the common challenges of the region.
He said that effective realisation of the first phase of the Inter-Basin Water Transfer Project would go a long way in resolving such pressing climate-induced disasters.
Earlier in his address, the Executive Secretary of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, Mr. Mamman Nuhu, stated that the Commission is confronted with the challenges of restoring peace and stability and finding a sustainable solution to underdevelopment in the region.
Nuhu urged member countries to pay up their financial commitments to enable the Commission tackle the challenges facing the region.
He stated that climate change and insecurity have had devastating effects on the livelihoods of over 30 million people and impacting the rich biodiversity of the basin.
“These factors and the depressed socioeconomic condition of life in the region, have exacerbated the security challenges confronting us today.
“But for lack of funds, this would have been the right time for the commission to embark on massive non-kinetic interventions by way of quick impact projects and more durable development projects.
“As its contribution towards the eradication of the threat of Boko Haram in our sub-region, it is a truism that military efforts alone cannot solve the problem of insurgence.
“We have to address the root causes of the insurgency, which is what LCBC has been doing through its projects,’’ local media reports quoted Nuhu as saying.
He stated that the commission’s partnership with the Multi-national Joint Task Force has recorded massive progress and commended the LCBC financial and technical partners and assured of the commission’s commitment towards delivering a stable region with enhanced economic growth.
The six member countries of the Commission are Cameroon, Chad, Central African Republic, Libya, Niger and Nigeria.
GIK/APA