Cross River State made a strong impact at the official launch of the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) – European Investment Bank (EIB) collaboration, held on September 30, 2025, at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja. The state’s delegation was led by the Project Coordinator, Professor Emmanuel Eyo, whose leadership reflected Cross River’s proactive commitment to addressing critical environmental challenges.
Representing the Executive Governor of Cross River State, Senator Prince Bassey Otu, was the Hon. Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Mike Odere,who expressed the state government’s full support for the project’s integrated approach to environmental restoration. He highlighted the importance of the NEWMAP–EIB initiative in tackling Nigeria’s most pressing environmental issues, including erosion, land degradation, and the impacts of climate change.
Dr. Odere was accompanied by other key state officials: the Hon. Commissioner for Environment, Hon Chief Moses Osogi; the Commissioner for the Ministry of International Development Cooperation (MIDC), Hon. Hippolatus Lukpata; and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Barr. Mrs Rosemary Onah
In his keynote address, the National Project Coordinator emphasized the NEWMAP–EIB partnership as a critical platform for nationwide collaboration in tackling ecological degradation. He underscored the project’s potential to not only rehabilitate degraded lands but also to enhance livelihoods and economic resilience in alignment with the federal government’s broader development agenda.
The event drew wide participation from across Nigeria and beyond, including the Hon. Minister of Environment, Hon. Balarabe Abbas Lawal, representatives of state governments, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, delegates from the EIB, members of the National Assembly, and representatives from key international development partners such as UNOPS, the French Development Agency (AFD), the Islamic Development Bank, and the World Bank, along with senior federal and state officials.
For Cross River State, the launch represents a significant milestone in its ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability, particularly in combating gully erosion, which continues to threaten local communities and farmlands. Participation in the NEWMAP–EIB project further underscores the state’s resolve to pursue climate-resilient infrastructure and ecosystem restoration that will secure a better future for its citizens.
As implementation begins, Cross River is well-positioned to harness the full benefits of this initiative — not only by mitigating environmental risks but also by strengthening institutional frameworks, empowering communities, and advancing inclusive development. Through this, the state moves closer to reclaiming its identity as “The People’s Paradise.”
