UN votes $80 million to advance Democracy in Nigeria

UN votes $80 million to advance Democracy in Nigeria

The United Nations (UN) has said it is currently implementing a five-year intervention programme on deepening democratic governance in Nigeria at a budgeted cost of  N12.4 billion ($80 million).

As part of the assistance to help deepen democratic culture in Nigeria, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and its partners are providing over US$ 10 million to 18 civil society organisations.

Area of Usage

According to UN, the money is to support community-based elections education, including registration, voting, observation and sensitisation on gender issues.

The project also aims to ensure the effectiveness of the mass media and citizen participation as well as encouraging women’s participation in the electoral process.

A statement by (UNDP), on Wednesday said the support for the electoral process was being coordinated under the Democratic Governance for Development (DGD) project and was planned to gulp US$80 million over five years, covering Nigeria’s 2010-2015 electoral cycle.

UNDP said the money would be deployed to assist the Nigerian authorities to consolidate and advance democratic governance and accountability.

Funding for the project is jointly provided by UNDP, the European Union, the UK Department for International Development, the Canadian International Development Agency and the Korean International Cooperation Agency.

Focus

The statement also says the project is focused primarily on support for voter registration, civic education, media training, women’s political representation, training for elections tribunal staff and election observers, and production of information materials and electoral kits.

Details of the programme of assistance show that UNDP and its partners provided US $5.5 million to the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) to help it to deliver a credible voters’ register; while they also provided over US$ 10 million to 18 civil society organizations to support community-based elections education including registration, voting, observation and sensitization on gender issues.

Addressing reporters during the flag-off of Civil Society Strategic Planning Validation meeting in Enugu, south east Nigeria, the UNDP Specialist, Ms Vernice Guthrie, said the project being coordinated under the Democratic Governance for Development (DGD) is aimed at strengthening the capacity of various segments of the society to be able to engage government in the implementation of various development programmes.

She said capacity-building programme for civil society groups was going on simultaneously throughout the six geographical zones of the country, trying to harmonise their activities and impart special skills to members.

Gruthrie explained that the focus of the DGD project is to strengthen democracy in Nigeria and through its capacity-building training create opportunities for good governance and improvement in the living conditions of the people.

NP/Adekusibe/Williams