The European Union (EU) weekend said it would massively invest in 24 communities of 12 local government areas in Delta state in order to address the root causes of violence and criminality in the Niger Delta region.
The gesture also spanned 26 communities across 13 local government areas in Rivers state, including Bayelsa state.
It is geared towards fostering inclusive community security approaches to addressing the systemic drivers of violence, criminality and building resilience in the oil- rich Niger Delta region.
The Country Director, Search for Common Ground, Fatima Abubakar, stated this in Asaba, at the official launch of the European Union funded project titled: ‘A Community-Centered Approach to Transforming Criminality and Violence in the Niger Delta.’
Abubakar said the project, which marks a noteworthy milestone in its collaborative endeavours to promote inclusive community security approaches, was to address the root causes of violence and criminality in the region.
She said: “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.
“One such notable initiative was the ‘Tomorrow is a New Day’ project, implemented from 2013 to 2015 with funding from the European Union. This violence-reduction project contributed to stability in the Niger Delta, facilitating the peaceful reintegration of ex-militants and promoting community reconciliation.
“In Delta state, the project left a lasting impact in Warri south and Warri North local government areas through innovative approaches like community reintegration, radio drama, community radio, and trauma healing. Through the project, infrastructural interventions such as the construction of internal roads and community radio stations were built in Koko and Oporoza communities.”
