Omiete Blessing
The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) has effectively delivered on its mandate to facilitate peace and equitable economic growth in the Niger Delta region.
This was as the group, in less than one year, has facilitated some crucial development which has recently impacted on the lives of the people of region.
PIND’s Executive Director, Mr. Tunji Idowu, stated that despite the socio-economic challenges, including rising inflation and foreign exchange rate fluctuations which affected purchasing power in the country, the Foundation exceeded expectations in ensuring a peaceful Niger Delta.
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Idowu who spoke, while analysing achievements of the foundation in 2023 and parts of 2024, said “PIND, which started in 2010 by giving out grants to other implementers, has since evolved into a go-to resource, convener, and implementer of development programs and projects for other donors in the region”.
He disclosed some of the achievements to include, facilitating the electrification of healthcare centres, community engagement under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), youth employment, others.
Idowu explained that the foundation has accomplished achievements through robust programs focused on community-driven, research-backed needs: prosperity and peace through economic growth and peacebuilding.
“In 2023, PIND consolidated all the achievements from its previous and ongoing work in the Niger Delta while exploring new opportunities for improving livelihoods and ensuring lasting peace in a once conflict-ridden region”.
Some of the foundation’s most impactful initiatives and interventions for the year, he said include: “Worked with about 100 service providers through its Market Systems Development project to support over 49,000 farmers (46.35% females) with recorded cumulative investments by PIND-supported farmers and MSMEs recorded at over ₦ 10 billion.
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“Launched a Business Start-up Challenge Fund for the second year through its Youth Employment Pathways project to further support the transition into entrepreneurship of interested youth beneficiaries of its vocational and soft skills training programs. Sixty-six successful contestants received grants totaling ₦42 million to establish their businesses.”
Also, the group said through partnering with the Ford Foundation, it has supported the implementation of the Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) component of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) through awareness creation and capacity building for non-governmental and community-based organisations.
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“The Foundation advocated for increased access to arable lands for smallholder farmers in Delta, Edo, and Ondo states by working with representatives of these state governments and their land review committees to undertake Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping of reserved lands and delineating substantial amounts for agricultural purposes”.
According to the recorded achievements, in 2024, one of PIND’s key activities was launching the Niger Delta Regional Peacebuilding Strategy (NDRPS) document in partnership with the Ministry of Niger Delta Development.
Idowu further explained that “The NDRPS will apply a multi-stakeholder approach to tackling conflicts in the Niger Delta, with all stakeholders focused on peace-building and conflict management and resolution in the Niger Delta, joining resources to ensure the effective prevention, management, and resolution of conflicts in the region”.