By Peace Udugba
Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has disclosed that she held a strategic meeting with the Executive Secretary of the Niger Basin Authority, Mr. Kocou Armand Houanye, alongside members of his delegation during a regional tour of member countries.
In a post on her X handle on Friday, the minister said the discussions focused on strengthening regional cooperation and advancing climate adaptation efforts across countries within the Niger Basin Authority.
She noted that both sides extensively reviewed the Programme for Integrated Development and Adaptation to Climate Change in the Niger Basin, a multinational initiative funded by the African Development Bank.
According to her, the programme is designed to reduce the silting of the River Niger while enhancing climate resilience among vulnerable communities across member states.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu added that the initiative also promotes climate-smart agriculture, fisheries, and agro-pastoral activities aimed at addressing environmental challenges and improving livelihoods within the basin.
She further explained that the programme prioritises poverty reduction by empowering rural farmers, women, and youths through access to farming equipment, capacity-building initiatives, and agribusiness training.
The minister stressed that the meeting underscored the importance of stronger collaboration among member countries in tackling the growing threats of climate change and environmental degradation in the region.
The Niger Basin Authority is made up of nine member states bordering the River Niger, including Nigeria, Niger, Benin, Chad, Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Cameroon, and Burkina Faso.
