The European Union (EU) is set to carry out a 6.5 million euro project in 66 communities in the Niger Delta states of Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers States, titled “Community-Centered Approach to Transforming Criminality and Violence in the Niger Delta Project.”

The EU-funded project, which is officially coordinated by Search for Common Ground, SEARCH, which is the implementing partner, and other partners including the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta, PIND, the Stakeholder Democracy Network, SDN, and Academic Associate Peace Works, AAPW, will be implemented in 33 local government areas and 66 communities in Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers States.

The first step to the implementation of the project, was a flag off event  held in Bayelsa State as Subsequent flag-offs would be held in both Rivers and Delta states.

The Country Director of Search for Common Ground, Mrs. Fatima Abubakar, stated that while all 8 LGAS in Bayelsa are beneficiaries of the project, 12 and 13 LGAs in Delta and Rivers State have been selected, respectively, adding that the project is expected to last for 18 months.

The Project partners say the project will adopt a transformative framework that addresses the core drivers of criminality, violence, and conflict in the region, with specific emphasis on empowering and including youths and other marginalized groups in community security and social cohesion programs.

They noted that the project also targets at-risk youths, communities impacted by oil bunkering activities, state and community security actors, the private sector, media professionals, key civil society organizations, and policymakers at various levels.

Deploying a unique paradigm shift in how stakeholders approach the complex issues of oil bunkering, criminality, and security in the Niger Delta, the project advocates a bottom-up, human-centric approach to reduce the prevalence of criminal activities in the region.

The key objectives of the project include intra-community collaboration for social inclusion and economic opportunities, to fostering collaboration within communities to address social exclusion, economic challenges, and environmental degradation.

The Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, was represented by the Secretary to State Government, Alabo Gideon Ekeuwei, who praised the European Union and the implementing partners for the initiative and reiterated the support of the Bayelsa State Government  towards the successful implementation of the project in the state.