EU tasks N’Delta states on social cohesion, community devt

The European Union (EU) has urged Niger Delta states to work with civil society organisations to ensure that communities benefitted fully from the EU-supported initiatives in the region.

It also called for urgent release of their counterpart funds for the EU Niger Delta Support Programme, Component 4 (NDSP 4) focusing on micro-projects.

At the final national project steering committee meeting of the NDSP4, which just ended in Asaba, Delta state, a representative of the EU, Ms. Montse Pantaleoni, encouraged them to give special attention to vulnerable groups, including women and youth.

Key stakeholders, comprising all benefitting states, local government authorities and civil society organisations across the nine states covered by the project, participated in the meeting.

Some 833 communities across nine states are benefitting from the micro-projects implemented with support from the EU.

The programme commenced in January 2014 with an overall objective to mitigate the conflict in the region by addressing the main causes of the unrest and violence, which include governance issues, youth unemployment and poor delivery of basic services.

Since its commencement, the programme has contributed significantly to achieving the expected results, including among others, strengthening community governance and development by ensuring infrastructure for community meetings, village and saving associations and a place to meet and discuss with local authorities’ common needs and support.

More than 120 community centres have been constructed in the region, increased equitable access to basic services with the completion of 719 micro-projects that have increased income generation and livelihoods in the communities of intervention, focusing mostly on vulnerable youth and women.

The programme comprises over 200 agro-processing mills and market stalls, just as beneficiary communities have been engaged on effective strategies for the utilisation and sustainability of the completed agro -processing mills.