FG, Delta Govt Strategise Against Criminality ln Niger Delta Region

Determined to sustain peace and foster long-term conflict transformation, the federal and Delta State governments and community leaders have given their support to an European Union-funded peacebuilding initiative aimed at addressing violence and criminality in the Niger Delta.

The project implemented by Search for Common Ground, (SFCG), in partnership with the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta and the Stakeholder Democracy Network was funded by the European Union, (EU).

The Senior Special Assistant to the president on community development, Gift Johnbull, in Asaba at the weekend described the programme as “a beacon of hope and a path for peace and development in the Niger Delta”

Represented by Mrs. Rachel Akanigha,in her address on the topic titled “A Community-Centered Approach to Transforming Violence and Criminality in the Niger Delta,” she commended the implementing partners and urged beneficiary communities to sustain and build on the gains achieved.

The country director, SFCG, Kano Ouattara, said the project adopted a community-centered approach to addressing insecurity in the region.

He said over the past 30 months, the consortium collaborated with community leaders, traditional institutions, security agencies, and other stakeholders to rebuild trust, especially between youths and leadership structures, while strengthening early warning systems and collaborative responses to conflict.

Ouattara, represented by the Director of Programs, Gift Omoniwa, noted, “the initiative also integrated livelihood support into its peacebuilding efforts, executing 68 projects across 66 communities in 33 local government areas.