We spent 250 million euros in N’Delta – EU

The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms. Samuela Isopi, revealed on Friday that the EU had spent no less than 250 million euros on various development projects in the Niger Delta.

Isopi, represented by the Head of the Political Affairs Office of the EU Delegation to Nigeria, Thomas Kieler, said so in Abuja during a meeting with the Acting Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Col. Milland Dikio (retired).

Kieler said that while all EU projects in the Niger Delta were coming to an end, the EU would focus its next development program on tackling the climate and environmental impact of oil exploration in the region. .

“The EU is a long-standing partner in the Niger Delta. In the region, we have been active since 2008.

“We went there with a big development and a program called the Niger Delta Support Program. We used around 250 million euros in the region.

“There have been a number of other projects, basically these projects are coming to an end, but we would like to stay focused on the Niger Delta and deal with the current situation and help the region and the people towards prosperity and development. development.” Kieler said.

In his remarks, Dikio said the federal government is concerned about how to ensure food security and develop the blue economy of the Niger Delta region.

He said the Nigerian government will continue to work closely with stakeholders to achieve sustainable utilization of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and job creation in the region.

According to him, militancy is a thing of the past in many oil-producing communities in the South-South region.

Dikio said, “We in the amnesty program are interested in food security and the full spectrum of the blue economy.

“The framework for achieving this is to focus on young people aged 12-18, as we believe giving them a new outlook on life will stem the tide that leads to deviant behavior.

“Therefore, we want to work with the EU to address the root causes of instability in the Niger Delta region.”

Dikio added that the Amnesty Office was also exploring the “heart and mind” approach to conflict resolution in the Niger Delta.

He said: “We don’t think every problem with the nail requires a hammer, because we are at peace with our people. We listen to them and offer a solution.

“We are not in a position to respond to all their claims, but we direct them to other means of expressing their grievances. This is why you have relative peace in the Niger Delta.

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