European Union to spend N9 Billion on Niger Delta Projects

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European Union (EU) has said it would spend N9.2 billion in nine states in the Niger Delta region under its Micro Projects Programme (MPP).

Head of the EU Delegation to Nigeria, Mr. Denis Thieulin, disclosed at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the EU and the Bayelsa State Government in Abuja.

Thieulin listed the nine states as Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, Edo, Akwa Ibom, Ondo, Abia, Cross River and Imo.

He said the EU approved the "MPP9 programme" in September 2008 to support Niger Delta communities after the successful completion of the "MPP3" and "MPP6 programmes."

"The aim of the project is to institute reforms, resulting in local governments and state authorities increasingly providing infrastructural services, income generating options, sustainable livelihood development, gender equity and community empowerment.

"This is done through offering models of transparency and participation," he said.

Thieulin said about four million Euro (about N892 million) of the total amount would be invested in Bayelsa State.

He said the EU believed that the programme would accelerate social and economic development of the area and assist in resolving the conflict in the Niger Delta. We are going to finance about 130 micro-projects in that area.

"As you know we cannot deal with everything in that area because is it a small amount but our purpose is just to encourage states and local governments to work with the communities to restore trust.

"Already, the MOU has been signed in Cross River and Delta States and in the next few weeks we hope to sign it with the remaining six states; the programme is financed by the 27 member-states of the EU under the 9th European Development Fund (EDF)," he added.

Minister of National Planning Commission, Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman, said the implementation of the MPP9 in the Niger Delta was aimed at ensuring sustained poverty reduction in all states in the region.

Usman, who was represented by Director, International Cooperation Department in the Commission, Mrs. Laraba Bagaiya, said the programme would be successful if the approach developed by previous micro-programmes and projects was used.

He said the programme would run from 2008 to 2010 to restore hope in Bayelsa and the Niger Delta, adding that the programme would actively engage local governance in the project to ensure best practice and sustainability.

"It is expected that the programme will result in the following, strengthen community governance through the adoption of about 1,200 community development plans by community and local government authorities.

"It will also result in increase access to 143 basic infrastructure services per state directed at about two million people, including women and children amongst others," Usman said.

Governor Timpriye Sylva of Bayelsa State thanked the EU and the National Planning Commission for making Bayelsa part of the MPP9.

Sylva, represented by Hon. Henry Ofong, said the state was grateful for benefiting from 230 projects in the MPP3 in 2003.

He said there should be more collaboration with the state government as "the state equally has developmental programmes so as to avoid duplication of projects and programmes.

"If there is synergy in the area of collaboration, then we can avoid duplication of projects and we are assuring you that security in the region is guaranteed, following the government's amnesty programme, which is recording progress.

"On our part, we are ready to pay our counterpart funding of 25 per cent required from us to execute the project," he said.