In a bid to address violence in the Niger Delta region, the European Union has rolled out plans to invest in 60 communities in three Niger Delta states.
The Country Director, Search for Common Ground, Fatima Abubakar stated this at the official launch of the European Union-funded project titled: ‘A Community-Centered Approach to Transforming Criminality and Violence in the Niger Delta’ on Friday in Asaba.
Abubakar said that the project, which marks a noteworthy milestone in its collaborative endeavors to promote inclusive community security approaches, was to address the root causes of violence and criminality in the region.
She said, “We will invest in 24 communities of 12 local government areas in Delta State, the gesture also spanned across 26 communities in 13 Local Government Areas in Rivers State, including Bayelsa State.
“This is aimed at fostering inclusive community security approaches to addressing the systemic drivers of violence, criminality and building resilience in oil-rich Niger Delta region.
“We are abreast of the local context of the region, its history, challenges, and conflict dynamics that have shaped the current political, economic, and social landscape of the region.
“Consequently, Search designs its projects to collaborate with local and international partners to spearhead impactful initiatives aimed at mitigating violence and building resilience in communities across the Niger Delta.”
Abubakar also called on all stakeholders to use this opportunity to build a resilient and peaceful Delta State, setting an example for sustainable development and community-driven transformation.
The State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori said the European Union deserves applause for making their resources available to us in this regard.
While commending EU and other stakeholders for their interest and willingness to invest in 24 communities in the State, Oborevweri who spoke through his deputy Monday Onyeme, noted that “This is a huge human capital development effort, and I expect that those who will be entrusted with managing the different aspects of the programme will do their job with utmost zeal, dedication, and integrity.
“I am persuaded that the ‘bottom-up, inclusive, and community-centred approach’ of this project, will inspire hope in our people, foster behavioural changes, and give them a sense of belonging. It is therefore, incumbent on the project managers to display the highest levels of fairness, transparency, and accountability in the discharge of their duties.”