Foundation facilitates electricity project in Niger Delta PHCs


The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND), says, it has facilitated the provision of electricity to 12 Primary Healthcare Centres(PHCs) in the Niger Delta region.

Mr Tunji Idowu, PIND’s Executive Director, made this known in a statement highlighting the foundation successes and achievements in its 2023 Annual Report themed: Advancing Frontiers for

Greater Impact.

Idowu said the project was under the United States Agency for International

Development-led Health Electrification and Telecommunication Alliance (HETA) initiative aimed at providing electricity to healthcare facilities.

According to him, PHCs in Bayelsa, Delta, and Ondo States benefitted from the project in 2023.

He said through its Market Systems Development project, they supported over 49,000 farmers (46.35 per cent females) with recorded cumulative investments by PIND-supported farmers and MSMEs recorded at over N10 billion.

The Executive Director, said they assisted in establishing Peace Clubs in secondary schoo
ls and universities across the region to foster change attitudes, behaviours and promote peace through education.

‘We launched a business start-up challenge fund through its Youth Employment Pathways project in which 66 successful contestants received grants totaling N42 million to establish their businesses.

According to him, they also partnered with Ford Foundation on the Bridges Project to support the implementation of the Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) component of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

He said they were able to achieve it through awareness creation and capacity building for non-governmental and community-based organisations.

Idowu noted that in spite of the socioeconomic challenges, rising inflation and foreign exchange rate fluctuations, the Foundation continued to facilitate peace and equitable economic growth in the Niger Delta.

‘2023 saw us exceeding expectations and achieving several milestones as we consolidated our previous work and successes while exploring new opportun
ities.

‘Together with our partners, [PIND] continued to find creative, people-centered ways to carry out our mission to facilitate peace and equitable economic growth in the Niger Delta,’ he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria