Delta Communities Mobilized For Erosion Control

Global Peace Development, a non-governmental organization (GPD) has said five erosion affected communities in Delta State have been mobilized for easy work for erosion control.

The NGO Project Director, Mr. Ebruka Onajite Esike stated this in Asaba when he led a team on advocacy visit to the Delta State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. John Nani.

Mr. Esike said the communities have pledged to be cooperative, selfless and supportive to ensure that the erosion menace is successfully curbed.

The Global Peace Development, a focal NGO for the World Bank Assisted Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project NEWMAP under the Ministry of Environment was engaged for development interventions from 2017-2019, Mr. Esike said.

However, he said that GPD has been in developmental sector supporting development intervention in conflict management and peace building.

According to him, “the NGO has been in the development sector for over 15 years supporting development interventions in conflict management and peace building, social accountability, community development, sustainable livelihood, water-sanitation and hygiene and social protection”.

“We have been engaged beneficiaries in four erosion sites which resulted to the finalization of their respective Community Associations, and Site Committees membership”. In addition, the four communities interests’ groups were formed and strength, weakness, opportunities and threat analyzed, the communities successfully engages include Jesse, Obomkpa, Ukwu-Nzu and Owanta located in Ethiope West, Aniocha North and Ika North East LGAs respectively”, he said.

The Project Director noted that the GPD has requisite capacity and experience to fulfill its responsibility as the Focal NGO for the DTS-NEWMAP, saying that “we would ensure smooth communication and positive relationship between the communities and DTS-NEWMAP and likewise facilitate conflict sensitive implementation of the intervention”.

“According to the work plan, we would commence a detailed Participatory Rural Appraisal of the beneficiary communities to ensure an informed context specific design during the development of the Community Development Action Plan”

“In the same vain, we would also conduct a Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment (PCIA) of the DTS-NEWMAP intervention of the Project Impact Areas (PIAs) to understudy the likely impact of the project on the communities and aid to establishment of peace architecture mechanism in the five beneficiary communities”.

The State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. John Nani while responding said he would be happy if the reason for the engagement is achieved.