CSDP Concludes Environmental and Social SafeGuard Training (ESSG)

To build the capacity of staff on environmental and social safeguards

The Federal Project Support Unit (FPSU) of the Community and Social Development Project (CSDP) carried out a workshop to build the capacity of staff on environmental and social safeguards. The workshop was carried out between 16^th and 21^st of March, 2020 and the participants were divided into 2 batches

The workshop for batch 1 held from 16^th to 19^th of March, 2020 and included participants from Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Zamfara, Benue, Anambra, Bayelsa and Imo States; while Batch 2 held from 19^th to 21^st of March, 2020 with representatives from Taraba, Bauchi, Gombe, Plateau, Kogi, Oyo and Cross River States in attendance.

The objectives of the workshop were to

• Inform and discuss recent environmental and social concerns relating to the project;
• Provide trainees with capacity for identifying potential adverse environmental and social impacts as early as the project design stage;
• Provide trainees with capacity for identifying appropriate time and cost-effective mitigation measures for identified negative environmental and social impacts; and
• Build the capacity of staff to effectively monitor implementation of environmental and social mitigation measures as it relates to their MPs.

Upon completion of the workshop, the capacities of the trainees were enhanced particularly in identifying potential adverse environmental impacts, grievances and the use of the new VLD Protocol. There was evidently a clear understanding of how to systematically identify potential negative impacts as well as how to proffer cost effective and timely mitigation measures.

The participants were clearly energized and expressed their desire to start incorporating mitigation measures into their project designs while ensuring proper documentation of land donations and grievances.

There was also a clearer understanding on how environmental health and safety affects the poverty level in communities and how all these are related to CSDP’s PDO. Lastly, there was clearer understanding on how mitigation measures incorporated during the project design stage can contribute to reducing poverty.