By Kunle SHONUGA
The German government through the German International Cooperation (GIZ), says it has committed 45.6 million Euros to support development programmes in Nigeria in the past three years.
The sum was obtained from the “Aid Information Management System’’ website, a Development Assistance Database of the Ministry of Budget and National Planning on Thursday in Abuja.
The figure reveals that the fund was committed to new and ongoing programmes between 2015 and 2017.
The breakdown of the amount showed that the sum of 17 million Euros was committed to the programmes in 2015, 19 million Euros in 2016 and 9.6 million Euros in 2017.
It was observed that no progress report on new and ongoing programmes in 2018 had been posted.
Meanwhile, a document on the achievements of the ministry from May 2015 to May 2018, showed GIZ had a total funding commitment of 47.6 million Euros to support programmes in Nigeria.
The document revealed that an agreement was signed in Nov. 2017, to implement and redirect idle funds in the Development Cooperation agreed in 2016.
It listed the 9.6 million Euro GIZ Pro-poor Growth and Promotion of Employment in Nigeria Programme (SEDIN III) as one of the major programmes under GIZ.
SEDIN III is aimed at strengthening sectors with high potential for employment and income generation in Niger, Ogun and Plateau States.
The document stated that part of the programme was Financial System Development Support in the country.
The aim of the support was to improve the regulatory environment for microfinance and the performance of selected microfinance banks to increase their Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) lending capabilities.
Also, the support is used for the implementation of Technical Vocational Education and Training, Trade Policy and Facilitation, Value Chain Development and Nigeria Energy Support Programme.
Similarly, the UK through the Department For International Development (DFID), increased its intervention in the country in 2017 through the extension of two existing programmes and introduction of two new projects.
The programmes being executed under DFID include; Humanitarian Assistance in the North East with financial commitment of 33.5 million pounds, and Public Sector Accountability (PSA) programme with support of 100 million pounds.
Other programmes are the National Malaria Programme 2 (SUNMAP 2), with 50 million pounds to compliment SUNMAP 1, and A five –year Anti-Corruption Programme.
It was designed to address capacity gaps in the area of intelligence gathering, investigation, prosecution and judicial determination with a cost estimate of 100 million pounds.
According to the document, partnership to “Engage Reform and Learn’’ programme has a total sum of 37,500,000 pounds.
The document further revealed that French Development Agency increased its assistance to the country with additional funding of one million Euros.
The support was in the areas of Urban Development Project in Lagos State, Greater Kano water Supply, Greater water supply scheme in Plateau, Enugu and Ondo, and Improvement of power supply.
