Niger Delta Human Development Report - UNDP Nigeria - United ...

• Act as pressure groups in restraining
or changing fascist government policies,
laws and programmes.
• Motivate and mobilize youths for
popular participation, and for political,
social and economic empowerment.
Donors/development assistance
agencies
• Set development priorities in line with
the guidelines and oversight or supervisory
functions of the Federal Government.
The existing institutional
mechanism for harmonizing the
activities of aid agencies in Nigeria is
the Department of International Cooperation,
in the Ministry of National
Planning.
• Work consistently to achieve development
symmetry through harmonization
of individual aid agency efforts
and the avoidance of unnecessary
duplication or wastage.
• Promote best practices in development
management and the achievement
of the MDGs in the region.
• Facilitate the process of mobilizing
resources for development.
General Guidelines for Partnerships
• Ideally, all stakeholders should agree
on what is essential for development
to move forward, such as the provision
of necessary infrastructure, the
facilitation of peace and human security,
effective management and protection
of the environment.
• There should be consensus on the
need for improved governance and the
sustainable use of natural resources,
through the harmonization of efforts
by government, donors, the private
sector, NGOs and communities.
• On health care, a priority should be
the provision and improvement of
assisted local health care delivery systems
(e.g., through community health
service projects on such issues as malaria
awareness, treatment and prevention
in the Niger Delta, and similar
strategic interventions in favour of
HIV&AIDS control and other major
health problems).
NIGER DELTA HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT
• All stakeholders should collectively
embrace the tenets of probity, accountability
and transparency.
• The empowerment of women and
youth groups is essential both in helping
them to help themselves, and towards
development and the public
good.
• Local communities should be involved
in all development efforts. This will
further strengthen the framework of
partnerships, mutual trust and understanding
among stakeholders.
• All stakeholder groups should network
to share information on the delta’s
development needs and challenges.
• All stakeholder groups should subscribe
to joint maintenance of the rule
of law.
CONCLUSION
The seven-point human development
agenda described on the previous pages has
great potential for expediting sustainable
human development in the Niger Delta
region. Several interconnecting themes run
through this agenda, starting with peace as
a requisite for any form of development.
Without it, progress will remain out of
reach. Good governance will determine
whether or not development programming
is adequate and appropriate, and symmetrical
across the region.
Also critical is the modification of the delta’s
economic structure through appropriate
diversification, including industrialization
for greater employment generation and
labour market flexibility. Further, social
inclusion must be nurtured through local
participation, community involvement in
decision-making, access to employment,
more comprehensive development programming,
and the empowerment of
women and youths. The environment must
be well managed as an essential element
of all other development objectives.
Several issues that challenge sustainable
human development in the Niger Delta
region have been addressed in the various
chapters of this report. This chapter highlights
mutually beneficial partnerships as
making the difference in achieving sustainable
development. Partnerships should
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