The Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes has inaugurated a waste management facility in Wako community and handed over 14 tricycles to support waste collection in Sheda, in the Kwali area council.

Inaugurating the facility, Abdullahi Ango, the mandate secretary of the Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, urged the beneficiaries to utilise the facilities to boost economic activities in their areas.

He said the project was not limited to the Kwali council, but covers the entire six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory.

Mr Ango stated that the waste management facilities (toilets) provided for some communities in the FCT, along with the tricycles and waste management Community Interest Groups in targeted catchments, would improve sanitation and help curb disease outbreaks.

According to him, the CIGs that benefited were selected based on the need assessment and their ongoing activities in the respective areas.

The mandate secretary, who is also the chairman of the ACReSAL project committee, revealed that more “special projects” were underway for some councils.

Caroline Opara, the FCT ACReSAL project coordinator, said the scheme was designed to address community challenges under the new initiative and put an end to open defecation.

She said the tricycles were given to CIGs that were committed to sustaining sanitation, ensuring indiscriminate dumping of waste, and boosting their economic life.

Ms Opara said plans were in the pipeline by ACReSAL to execute a project that would address erosion in the Gwagwalada council.

The Etsu Wako, Abdulazeez Usman, commended the ACReSAL and FCT Administration for considering the needs of rural dwellers, saying that the initiative was a source of joy.

He pledged his leadership commitment to protecting the facility, ensuring it serves the purpose for which it was constructed.

(NAN)