FG inaugurates Committee on LIFE-ND Agric  project in Niger-Delta

FG inaugurates Committee on LIFE-ND Agric  project in Niger-Delta

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Alhaji Muhammad Sabo Nanono has inaugurated the Project Steering Committee of the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises Project in Niger Delta (LIFE-ND).

Speaking during the inauguration in Abuja, yesterday, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, noted that ‘’ the LIFE –ND project cited in the Niger Delta which became effective on the 21^st February, 2019, is a testimony of the commitment of Federal Government to the organizational framework of LIFE-ND project’’, aimed at improving export earnings and economic growth strategies of the Nation at the state and local government levels.

Sabo Nanono  said that  the pilot ‘’LIFE –ND implementation arrangement has nine benefitting oil producing States of Cross Rivers, Rivers, Edo, Bayelsa, Ogun ,Akwa Ibom, Imo, Abia and Delta, in a six year implementation period and another six years financing gap ,making a total of 12 years project cycle.

 Nanono further said that ‘’ the organizational framework of LIFE-ND has four levels: Federal, Regional, State and LGA. The National Steering Committee is composed of representatives which include among others Niger Delta Development Commission (NCDC), Federal Ministries of Finance, Water Resources ,Environment, Labour and Productivity as well as Central Bank of Nigeria and Youth Groups’’.

The Minister informed that ‘’ the National Steering Committee is expected to meet once a year and its strategic roles is to provide oversight functions in the implementation of LIFE-ND and also approve the Annual Work Plan and Budget(AWPB)’’

 He also pointed out that the National LIFE-ND Programme Coordinator would serve as Secretary while the Regional LIFE –ND serves as the Co-Secretary.

The Minister observed that the LIFE-ND is one of the ten on-going projects under the direct supervision of Project Coordinating Department in the Ministry and has the mandate to coordinate, supervise, monitor and document all activities of FGN/Development Partner funded projects under the FMARD.

In her remarks, the Director, Project Coordinating Department, (FMARD), Dr.  Maimuna Habib informed that ‘’all the projects are supposed to create jobs, improve agricultural production, create agricultural valve chains and will link same to the market’’ for local and international consumption.

Responding on behalf of the Committee, Assistant Director, Federal Ministry of Finance, Mr. Mohammed Abbas, pledged that the committee was committed and would work towards improving Food Security and Value Chains in the Agricultural Sector in Nigeria.

Ezeaja Ikemefuna

For: Director, Information (FMARD)