Search for Common Ground Nigeria alongside Stakeholder Democracy Network, SDN, Academic Associate Peace Works, AAPW, and Partnership Initiative for the Niger Delta, PIND, has embarked on a task of addressing the underlying issues of conflict in the Niger Delta region, targeting Bayelsa, and Rivers States.
Country Director of Search, Fatima Abubakar, who stated this on Tuesday in Abuja, during a press briefing, said the European Union-funded initiative tagged “A Community-Centered Approach to Transforming Criminality and Violence in the Niger Delta.” targets 33 LGAs and 66 communities across Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers States.
Abubakar said, “The efforts as represented in the Community Centered Approach to Transforming Criminality and Violence in Niger Delta Project, adopts a community-led approach which encourages local communities to proffer home-grown solutions to the myriad of conflict drivers in their communities.
According to her, “This will be achieved through inclusive capacity building activities targeting young people, women, community leaders and security actors.
“Other activities include inclusive transformative dialogues; multimedia peace campaigns, and reasonable support for locally driven economic stimulant initiatives that will be implemented by innovative community-led project governing structures.”
“This 18-month project will be implemented in 33 Local Government Areas and 66 communities in Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers States. While all the 8 LGAs in Bayelsa are beneficiaries of the project, 12 and 13 LGA in Delta and Rivers State, have been selected respectively.
“The project LGAs in Bayelsa include: Ekeremor, Nembe, Yenagoa, Ogbia, Brass, Southern Ijaw, Kolokuma Opokuma, and Saghama
In Delta the LGAs are: Bomadi, Burutu, Udu, Ughelli North, Uvwie, Isoko North, Ndokwa East, Warri West, Ethiope East, Sapele, Warri South, and Warri North.
However in Rivers State, the 13 LGAs include: Ahcada East, Ahoada West, Akuku Toru, Asari Toru, Andoni, Emohua, Eleme, Gokana, Khana, Obio/Akpor, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Okrika, and Port Harcourt.
She noted that, the key components of the projects summarized above, are all represented in the following objectives of the project.
“Intra-Community Collaboration for Social Inclusion and Economic Opportunities (Stream 1):
“The project will foster collaboration within communities to address social exclusion, economic challenges, and environmental degradation, and;
“Encourage dialogue and cooperation to collectively address shared challenges and foster sustainable development
“Building Trust through Participatory Security Operations (Stream 2):Funded by European Union’S Common Ground AAPW, PIND
“The project will encourage the establishment of trust and collaboration between communities and government/security actors for more participatory, community-centered security operations, and; Promote transparency and inclusivity in security measures to enhance community engagement and cooperation..
“Arts- and Culture-Based Social Cohesion (Stream 3): The project will leverage arts and culture-based approaches to bridge divides and foster social cohesion among communities, both online and offline, and;
“Support initiatives that utilize creative expressions to promote unity and understanding 4. Policy Change for Institutionalizing Community-Centered Security Approaches (Stream 4)
The project will facilitate policy change at local, state, regional, national, and international levels to institutionalize community-centered security approaches, and; • Collaborate with policymakers to integrate these approaches into broader regional strategies for sustained impact.
Also speaking, Head Program Implementation Programs, Niger Delta,Yincinthe Agbadjagan, explained that the project involves engaging various stakeholders, including political figures, civil society leaders, traditional rulers, and community leaders.
He also emphasized the importance of involving these stakeholders from the beginning to the end of the project, including through stakeholder engagements, training sessions, and community involvement efforts.
