Five states in the Niger Delta might lose the N2.4 billion grant from the European Union for water projects if they fail to pay the required 30 per cent counterpart funding, an official has said.
Alobert Achten, the leader of the EU experts team, who made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, said they had up till July 25 to pay up.
Achten, therefore, appealed to the governors of the affected states – Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Rivers – to pay the counterpart fund to avoid losing the grant.
These states, he said, were already benefitting from the organisation’s water and sanitation project.
According to him, the EU and UNICEF have signed a five-year contribution agreement to boost rural water and sanitation project in the Niger Delta region.
He said the project was expected to contribute to conflict mitigation in the region by improving access to basic social services.
Achten said: “This project will support the state governments and the rural water sanitation institutions in the five states to develop and implement needed reforms in the sector.
“It will also deliver sustainable water supply, sanitation and hygiene services within communities and schools.”
The team leader said the roles and responsibilities of partners under the programme were being worked out just as the cost-sharing arrangements and coordination mechanism.
Achten said the initiative, under the aegis of the Niger Delta Support Programme, had been ongoing for sometime but needed to be sustained.
It was learnt that the NDSP has four components comprising employment opportunities and social services, public finance management, water and sanitation and micro-projects.
The objective of the project is to mitigate conflicts in the region by addressing the main causes of unrest and violence.
Achten said: “The water and sanitation component of this programme is mainly to enhance access to safe, adequate and sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene services.
“This component is already active in the five states and we are taking two local government areas per state.”
The NDSP was designed to be implemented from 2013 to 2017.
It is to mitigate the conflict in the region by addressing the main causes of unrest and violence, bad governance, youth unemployment and poor delivery of basic services.
Trending
- Tinubu appoints renowned banker Jim Ovia as Chair of NELFUND
- Yahaya Bello: EFCC boss Olukoyede to face criminal trial for contempt of court
- President Tinubu appoint CEOs for two agencies
- Breaking: Veteran Yoruba actor, Ogunjimi is dead
- EX-PRESIDENT BUHARI MOURNS DEMISE OF SIDI ALI, DR. BAFFA YO
- Japa Crises: 58,000 of 130,000 registered doctors renewed licence, says MDCN
- 34-Km Ikorodu-Itokin Road Reconstruction: Gov Sanwo-Olu, Senator Abiru Pay Thank You Visit To Works Minister, Umahi, Make Case For Road Dualisation
- Yahaya Bello: EFCC Chairman’s conduct suggest vendetta, not fight against corruption – Concerned APC chieftains