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By Matthew Eloyi
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has called on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), to provide 30 million dollars counterpart funding to fast-track implementation of the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises in Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) project.
National Project Coordinator, LIFE-ND, Mr Abiodun Sanni, made the call at the project Third Joint Implementation Support Mission Wrap-up meeting, on Thursday in Abuja.
It was gathered that LIFE-ND was being implemented by IFAD and the Federal Government to support the Nigeria Green Alternative Roadmap for Agriculture and Strategic Framework aimed at enhancing youth empowerment and job creation as well as support the NDDC master plan for the development of the Niger Delta region.
According to reports, the strategies were motivated by the waste of potentials and growing restiveness among estimated 22 million unemployed youth especially in rural areas who need economic opportunities to improve their livelihood.
Sanni said that the LIFE-ND was targeting nine states including Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Imo, Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Ondo.
He said that the NDDC at the inception of the project in 2019 pledged 30 million dollars to fund three states of Akwa-Ibom, Rivers and Imo.
“However, from the commencement of the project in 2019 till date, the commission was yet to meet up with its commitment, the lapses are major challenge to the timely implementation of the project,” he said.
He called on the NDDC to match its commitment with action by providing its quota to the development of the region.
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Sanni said the overall goal of LIFE-ND was to realise a transformed rural economy in which the rural population can derive prosperity and equal benefits.
He said the central thrust of the project was to use the incubation model to drive and promote agribusiness enterprise development among women and youths in rural areas of Niger Delta region.
According to him, the project is supported by a strategic Project Development Objectives (PDO) to enhance income, food security and job creation for rural youth and women through agribusiness development on sustainable basis.
In his remarks, Country Programme Manager, IFAD, Mr Patrick Habamenshi, said that the amount available for stipends and working capital for incubators and incubatees remained one of the greatest challenge of the project, adding that it need to be addressed to achieve the set objectives.
He further frowned at increased risk of dropping the three NDDC funded states during the midterm review due to the failure of the commission to mobilise its counterpart funding.
The Programme Manager, who emphasised the need for strong advocacy in Cross River State, said that IFAD was exploring viable option to bridge the 32 million dollars funding gaps from co-financing partners.
He said the project would adopt proactive steps to address impact of inflation on support available for incubatees and salaries structures of operating cost to fast track commencement of the project in Akwa-Ibom, Rivers and Imo States in 2022.
Also speaking, Director, Project Coordinating Unit, Federal Ministry of Finance, Mr Ubandoma Ularami, assured the commitment of the ministry in ensuring availability of fund to ensure full participation of the nine benefiting states.
Ularami said that the ministry would collaborate with the National Assembly to ensure adequate funding of NDDC, to meet its counterpart fund of the three states lagging behind.
