Support to State and Federal Governments is an aspect of PIND’s Advocacy for Niger Delta Development (ANDD) program. The ANDD is a multi-faceted initiative for raising awareness about economic development needs and issues in the Niger Delta and promoting collective action to address them under PIND’s four thematic program areas. Read more here.

Through the Support to State and Federal Governments project, PIND seeks to promote, inform and influence policies and approaches that promote productivity and inclusive equitable economic opportunities for businesses, state governments, and Nigerian federal institutions and agencies operating within PIND’s value chains in the Niger Delta through policy dialogue, partnerships and research evidence.

 

Objectives are as follows:

  • To inform and influence government policies and decisions to support pro-poor, sustainable, and equitable economic growth in the Niger Delta region
  • To influence policies, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of government to support its vision in building a legacy of sustainable peace and development among communities in the Niger Delta.
  • To position PIND as an organisation able to receive and implement donor grants in the region.
  • To promote a culture of partnership, collaboration, and coordination and shared learning amongst development partners in addressing systemic constraints to economic growth in the Niger Delta.
  • To improve understanding and create awareness on systemic constraints and enablers to inclusive equitable economic growth in the Niger Delta region.
  • To create opportunities for dialogue, reflection and debates among development actors and interested stakeholders to support ongoing and future economic growth initiatives in the Niger Delta.

 

Below are some of our recent partnerships. We plan to continue to influence development planning and economic development policy in the Niger Delta at all levels:

  • Niger Delta Way Forward: We partnered with four non-governmental organizations – Facility for Oil Sector Transparency (FOSTER), Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Program (NSRP), Stakeholders Democracy Network (SDN), Nextier Advisory; and four government ministries/agencies – Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Presidential Amnesty Program, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Ministry of Environment, came up with the Niger Delta Way Forward program aimed at moving the region from stabilization to sustainable development. The program will focus on reviewing the various existing plans for Niger Delta development and refining them into a better coordinated operational framework for stabilization and sustainable development of the region. This will ensure that development efforts in the region are targeted to deliver the desired impacts and are not being duplicated.

 

  • Cross River State: We are driving the preparation of the Cross River State Government’s 30-year Growth and Development Strategy in addition to developing interventions in the aquaculture, cocoa, oil palm and cassava value chains in the state. Also, the state is being assisted in making strategic engagements and developing plans with the responsible arms of government to curb the rising incidence of communal violence and the menace of “scolombo boys” in the state.

 

  • Delta State: PIND was also appointed a member of Delta State Government Steering Committee on Job Creation to help set direction and delivery strategy for agriculture development in the state aimed at creating jobs for the teaming youth population. In addition, PIND is partnering with the Delta State Micro, Small & Medium Scale Enterprise Development Agency providing her technical expertise and help design and oversee implementation of interventions aimed at strengthening relevant departments/institutions responsible for program delivery especially in access to finance, loan program management and tracking the impact of interventions

 

  • Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC): We signed a partnership agreement to advance sustainable development in the Niger Delta region in the provision of technical assistance, strategy development, project identification, design and implementation, research and analysis, information gathering, advocacy, trainings, rebranding of NDDC and similar activities geared towards fulfilling the Commission’s mandate. We were appointed to the Niger Delta Development Commission’s (NDDC) Think-Tank to shape strategy for achieving sustainable regional development.

 

  • Ondo State: We are working with the government of Ondo State to train young graduates in commercial agriculture in collaboration with the Wealth Creation Agency and Chevron Nigeria Limited. PIND is also working with the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) providing the Commission with the necessary strategic guidance and technical support that will enable her perform optimally and deliver on her mandate.

 

  • Edo State: PIND in collaboration with the Edo State Ministries of Agriculture and Lands & Surveys facilitated the acquisition of 4,500ha of land for commercial cassava farming in partnership with host communities and local farmers

 

  • Imo State: PIND is working with Peace & Security Committee of the state in addressing major conflict issues and building enduring peace in various communities. Also, the fifth edition of the Niger Delta Development Forum that held in 2015 in Owerri, Imo State, was also organized with the hands-on involvement of the Imo State Government, and highest level of state government representation, with the Deputy State Governor in attendance

 

  • River State: As a result of our work with the state and local government officials to improve access to water and sanitation in River State’s schools, the Rivers State Senior Secondary Schools Board has approved the establishment of school environmental health clubs in all of its 256 senior secondary schools. This marks a milestone towards influencing behavioral change in sustaining improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in senior secondary schools.