NIGERIA SSH OBLIGATION STATUS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 001024 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/EPS CAROL TRIMBLE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EAID ECON SOCI AFIN AMGT NI SUBJECT: NIGERIA SSH OBLIGATION STATUS REF: SECSTATE 118206 Summary -------------- ¶1. The SSH committee has identified eleven special self-help projects to fund for FY 2006. The signing of the project, with activity agreements signings pending will take place after final site visits. Mission has implemented shifted Ambassador Campbell''s decision to transferthe focus of the SSH program to AMConsul Lagos, with project funding now focusedto concentrate on the volatile Niger Delta region which is in the Lagos Consular District. The transfer of the SSH and DHRF programs to Lagos and the ensuing gap gap in hiring a new SSH coordinator have delayed the obligation of funds. The new Lagos-based SSH Coordinator began work on July 10. From July 18 -21, she met seven project directors in Port Harcourt and Yenagoa. Security precautions and time restraints prevented visits to all of the actual project sites. The SSH coordinator will meet the remaining four project directors by August 10., meeting two project directors in Warri on July 24, and two in Akwa Ibom during the first week of August. We plan to have agreements signed and funding funds oblobligated upon conclusion of site visits by September 15. Because we have not yet signed agreements for the SSH projects, this report does not include project numbers, obligation dates, or project status information. ¶2. Niger Delta Selected Proposal Summaries The SSH Coordinator has met with or visited the following projects, for which we are now preparing individual activity agreements: ¶A. School Books Project in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, by Life Intervention Project. This project will provide books for a local young women''s secondary school, to improve the educational opportunities and student capacity for a school serving approximately 3,500 students and teachers. Project funding is USD 3,372. The community is contributing a room in the school for the books'' storage, security, and maintenance. ¶B. Food Processing Mill Project in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, by Omu-Onueche Okoroagu Livestock Farmers Cooperative Society. The community will acquire a food processing mill, dig a borehole, and install pumps and tanks to provide expanded economic opportunity, affordable food production, and clean drinking water for Igwuruta and surrounding communities, approximately 30,000 people. Project funding is USD 7,058. The community is contributing cash, land, labor, sand, gravel, and cementand construction material. ¶C. Eastern Obolo Borehole Project in Okorobilom, Eastern Obolo, Akwa Ibom State, by Eastern Obolo Community Development Foundation. The community will dig a borehole and install pumps and tanks to provide clean drinking water to communities with a combined population of approximately 4,500. Project funding is USD 10,236. The community is contributing land, unskilled labor, supervision, security, storage, boats and vehicles. ¶D. School Furniture Project in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, by Greenlife Foundation. This project will provide school desks and books to improve the educational environment and student capacity of a primary school with over 400 students and teachers, in a community of approximately 5,000. Project funding is USD 12,328. The community is contributing unskilled labor and security personnel. ¶E. Solar Panel Schools Project in Warri, Delta State, by Niger Delta Professionals for Development. The community will obtain and set upinstall solar panels to provide a consistent, reliable power supply for a community library and school serving a population of approximately 35,000. Project funding is USD 10,354. The community is contributing land for the library building, technical support, and internal electrical wiring. ¶F. Opobo Community Library Project in Opobo,Nkoro, LGA, Rivers State, by Opobo Nkoro Community Development Foundation (ONCDF). The community will build a library and adult literacy center which will improve literacy, education, and the Parent-Teacher Association in ten schools and the surrounding communities. Project funding is USD 9,370. The community is contributing building, technical assistance, staffing, and volunteers. LAGOS 00001024 002 OF 002 ¶G. Livestock Structure Project in Ogba, Egbema, Ndoni, Rivers State, by Rivers Economic Development Forum. With this project funding, the community will build a livestock structure, enabling community members to buy piglets and small goats locally, while preventing the animals from destroying crops in the immediate community of 1000 and the neighboring community. Project funding is USD 9,736. The community is contributing land for the building. ¶3. The SSH Committee has approved funding for the following projects, which the SSH coordinator will visit by August 10. ¶A. Umuidiora Village Rice Threshing Project in Ogoshi Uku and Umudiora Village, Delta State, by the Farmer's Improvement Union. The community will procure and set up a rice threshing machine to improve the quality and volume of output, and expand economic opportunities for a community of approximately 10,000 community residents. Project funding is USD 5,393. The community is contributing diesel, equipment maintenance, salary, transportation, labor, installation and cost. ¶B. Idumuisogban Borehole Project in Abavo, Ika South, Delta State, by Rural Linkage Network. The community will dig a borehole and install pumps and tanks to provide clean drinking water to communities with a combined population of approximately 5,000. Project funding is USD 10,236. The community is contributing land, unskilled labor, and some building materials. ¶C. Nung Ikono Ufok Borehole Project in Nung Ikono Ufok, Uruan, Akwa Ibom State, by Nung Ikono Ufok Community Development. The community will dig a borehole and install pumps and tanks to provide clean drinking water to communities with a combined population of approximately 32,000. Project funding is USD 5,748. The community is contributing land, labor, a feasibility report, cement, and cash. ¶D. Minya Ntak Village Borehole Project in Nimya Ntak Village, Akwa Ibom State, by Women United for Economic Improvement. The community will dig a borehole and install pumps and tanks which will provide clean drinking water to communities with a combined population of approximately 27,500. Project funding is USD 10,236. The community is contributing land, management services, minor material expenses, and labor. BROWNE