Japanese releases fund for northeast stabilisation

The Government of Japan has released $1.5 million dollars to fund community stabilization activities in Nigeria’s North-East region through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Nigeria.

Lucky Musonda, UNDP’s Communications Specialist, made this known in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to him, the funds will be utilised through an ongoing programme, which was launched in 2016 and implemented by the UNDP in Nigeria.

He also stated that the interventions being implemented in the region are aimed at supporting victims of Boko Haram insurgency in the three most affected states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.

He said the project’s goal is to support over 2,200 farmers, 500 small businesses, public infrastructure in five communities and provide emergency employment to over 850 community members.

He said the funding builds on ongoing activities that the Government of Japan has been supporting, which have facilitated the rehabilitation of 20 public infrastructures.

The communications specialist said the funds have also provided emergency employment to more than 2,000 Internally Displaced People (IDPs) and returnees.

Mr Musonda said that in addition, more than 4,000 farmers and over 1,000 small businesses were supported with inputs and capital that helped improve and expand their sources of livelihood.

He said the Government of Japan has already invested $6.5 million in North-East Nigeria stabilisation activities.

He explained that the funds will be utilised within the framework of Integrated Community Stabilisation Programme, which UNDP has been implementing in the region intended to directly benefit 125,000 people in the three states.

Mr Musonda said an additional one million people will indirectly benefit from interventions under the project.

According to him, Khardiata Lo Ndiaye, acting UNDP Resident Representative to Nigeria, said meeting urgent early recovery needs of the crisis affected communities remained a huge challenge requiring more partners and investment.

”Stabilisation efforts in North-East are helping families and communities begin to rely less on humanitarian aid and more on themselves.

”This support from the Government of Japan will go a long way in laying a foundation for development to take place again in the region,” Ndiaye said.

He said Shigeru Umetsu, Chargé d’ Affairs and interim of Japan to Nigeria, reassured that the Government of Japan would continue to support the efforts of the Nigerian people.

Umetsu said the Japanese government would support efforts aimed at restoring stability and livelihoods for the communities in the North-East region.