USAID Sponsored Study Unveils Deprivation, Poverty, Squalor In Niger Delta Communities

Okonta Emeka Okelum, Asaba, Delta State 

The United States Agency for International Development ( USAID) has committed to strengthen the capacities of Niger- Delta Civil Societies to engage on key development issues.

The Agency is currently implementing a two year project aimed at supporting two Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) in the region. Leadership Initiative for Transformation and Empowerment (LITE-Africa) and African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) are two Niger-Delta based NGOs implementing USAID two years project.

Under the Strengthening Advocacy and Civic Engagement (SACE) Project, with funding from USAID, both NGOs will implement programs to improve transparency, accountability and good governance in Niger Delta.

Both NGOs are implementing projects designed to improve the effectiveness of Niger Delta Institutions (NDIs), such as Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs(MNDA), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Regional Development Council (RDC) and States Oil Producing Areas Development Commissions(OPADECs).

LITE-Africa's project is entitled 'Promoting Effective Niger-Delta Institution through Improved Social Accountability (PENDISA)', while ANEEJ'S project is titled 'Strengthening CSOs capacity to engage with Niger Delta Institutions on Resource Management.

At a one day conference, sponsored yesterday by USAID and Foundation for Partnership Initiative in the Niger-Delta (PIND) at Asaba, both NGOs unveiled findings of a study the conducted titled 'Citizens Report Card on Niger-Delta Institutions (NDIs)'.

Findings of the study unveiled that since Oil exploration commenced in the region, severe socioeconomic and environmental challenges had become the identity of Niger-Delta.

Oil earnings has not contributed meaningful development nor has the people's welfare improved and not adequately addressed by past governments and multi national companies, the report noted.

The study also noted that since 1970s when Oil exploration commenced in the region, the people had suffered administrative neglect, crumbling social infrastructure/services, high unemployment, social deprivation, abject poverty, filth, squalor and endemic conflict.

The study's findings were the results of field research works carried out by program officers of both NGOs in 4 Niger-Delta States( Cross River, Delta, Edo and Ondo). 24 rural communities were selected from 7 Local Government Areas to conduct the research.

Both NGOs program officers conducted 96 focus group discussions, 45 key informant interviews and had a total of 845 grassroot participants were involved in various community town-hall meetings, where their opinions on the impact and relationship with NDIs were collated.

The report evaluated impact of development projects carried out by Niger Delta Institutions (NDIs) on the people in the areas of health, education, water and electricity. The study also revealed that NDIs Intervention initiatives do not meet the people's community development needs, as well as poor planning and near zero consultation with host communities before development project's design and implementation.

 Further revelations proved that most Niger Delta host communities registered low level partnership between them, governments and Niger-Delta Institutions(NDIs). Assessing the impact of NDIs in the areas of education, the demonstrated that of the 24 rural communities surveyed, 19 have primary schools, 5 does not have primary schools, while all schools surveyed in Ondo state lack water and toilet.

The study also revealed that all communities surveyed in Orhinonmwon LGA of Edo State do not have health care centers. Niger Delta states sampled showed that NDIs poor project coordination mechanism has resulted in sub-standard, poor and abandoned projects everywhere in the region. Field reports also show that 80% of communities surveyed revealed that they do not have clean and safe drinking water.

Both NGOs implementing the USAID Project pointed out that most Niger Delta communities are now designing and implementing their projects themselves because most NDIs have problems of poor service delivery.