PIND Foundation unveils strategy to support Abia State’s long-term development planning
Representatives of the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND Foundation) and other international development partners including the European Union Niger Delta Support Programme 4 on May 16, 2019 paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Governor of State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, represented by Deputy Governor Rt. Honorable Ude Oko Chukwu, at the Abia State Government House, Umuahia to congratulate the Government for coming in first at the State Pitch Development Plan Competition at the 2018 Niger Delta Development Forum (NDDF). This advocacy visit served to begin the process of creating a long-term development plan in Abia State.
The NDDF is an annual forum for multi-stakeholder conversations on economic development and policy in the Niger Delta. It is the largest advocacy platform in the region and has become a go-to event for meaningful development discourse, mobilizing interest for Niger Delta development and stimulating investments in agriculture and small businesses development.
The 2018 edition of the Niger Delta Development Forum, NDDF themed, “Delivering Results: Implementing a State-Led Plan” engaged seven States in the Niger Delta — Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Imo, and Ondo — to harmonize and present their vision for a long-term development planning strategy. The Forum held over two roundtables in Benin, Edo State and Port Harcourt, Rivers State with the States clustered by location. The States had the opportunity to make technical presentations on their long-term development planning process and a winner emerged from each cluster’s pitch session: Edo in the West and Abia in the East. Both Abia and Edo States won technical support for the development of long-term strategic plans in 2019 from development partners. The Roundtables further served as peer-to-peer learning and lesson-sharing sessions between stakeholders from government, private, and development sectors to enable the States deliver on their State-led development.
In the past two decades, the Niger Delta region has had numerous plans or programs. While these initiatives have achieved varying degrees of success, implementation across the board has always been challenging. Long-term development planning was identified as a solution to begin to address the underlying issues of economic stagnation and conflict in the Niger Delta.
PIND’s Partnership and Engagement Manager, Chime Asonye who led the delegation said “PIND’s support will help Abia to develop a long-term strategic vision to enable them leverage their areas of competitiveness in delivering inclusive governance and sustainability to their people.”
According to him, a process will be facilitated through the provision of technical, organizational, strategic support and leadership to enable the plan be created through a participatory process incorporates all key sectors. Additionally, a high level team comprising relevant State Ministries, Departments & Agencies (MDAs), civil society, development partners and professional groups will be assembled to help provide input and expertise to the exercise.
PIND Foundation is a Nigerian non-profit organization established by Chevron to build partnerships and peace for equitable economic development in the Niger Delta.