The Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) has emphasized the importance of strengthening adherence to safeguard measures among contractors and stakeholders involved in its projects to prevent adverse impacts during or after project completion.
Pastor Gideon Akpan, the Akwa Ibom State Project Coordinator for RAAMP, highlighted this during a one-day training session organized for supervision consultants, contractors, and other stakeholders involved in the spot improvement component of the project across the state. He urged participants to not only enhance their capacities through the program but also to apply the knowledge gained in executing their respective tasks to achieve the best outcomes. “The World Bank places a very high premium on safeguard issues, which underscores the essence of this exercise. While it is important to expand your knowledge on safeguard rudiments, it is of more essence to deploy this knowledge into practice during the physical construction works so as to realize the prime objectives of this event,” he said.
In his presentation, “General Overview of Safeguards,” the Technical Assistant on Environmental Safeguards, Mr. Ekpenyong Effiong Udoh, outlined key safeguard prevention steps including: identifying safeguard problems, avoiding the problem, mitigating the problem, and minimizing adverse social impacts. He stated, “Safeguarding encompasses the preventing of harm or abuse from a cross-section of issues – occupational, physical, emotional, health, nutritional, livelihoods, emergency responses, water, sanitation, and hygiene.”
The Environmental Safeguard Officer, Mrs. Nse-Abasi Udom, speaking on “Occupational Health and Safety,” urged participants to ensure the prevention of avoidable hazardous occurrences at their sites, such as through the compulsory use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). She emphasized, “To prevent/protect is always much easier and cheaper than to repair.” The Social Safeguards Officer, Mr. Asuquo Essah, discussed “Social Risks,” identifying dangers such as labor influx around project areas, activities of school dropouts, and cases of child abuse, and explored mitigation measures to address these issues.
Mrs. Uduak George, the Gender-Based Violence Officer, presented on various prevention measures against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and ensuring Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (PSEAH).
Ms. Stella Paulinus Akpan of Akpaven Integrated Services, responding on behalf of other participants, described the session as highly beneficial and thanked the leadership of RAAMP and other stakeholders for organizing the program.
The event included an interactive session where issues raised on grey areas were addressed, and certificates were presented to participants at the end of the exercise.