ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – Five states namely Adamawa, Kano, Kogi, Nassarawa, and Osun States, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Academic Study European Union (ASEU) Consultants in order to access €1.5 billion grants for development projects in the respective states.
The funds, which have been earmarked to finance more than 1,250 programmes under the 11th Europe Development Fund programme covers the period between 2014-2020.
The resident consultant of ASEU in West Africa, Senator Jonathan Zwingina disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday, during the signing of the MoU.
Zwingina explained that the programme is structured in a way whereby interested states would indicate their willingness and readiness to enter into agreement with the consultancy firm in order for the grants to be easily accessed.
He said: “What we have done here is to bring ASEU to Nigeria and West Africa, so that we can benefit from their wealth of experience and get our various governments to access European union funds and not loans.
“Nigeria stands to benefit from over €1.5 billion to cover development projects at federal, state or local government levels. We are commencing the programme in Nigeria with only five states in the first phase of the programme.”
He expressed hope that the EU performance in the five pilot States would serve as model that would encourage more states to have confidence in the programme to participate in the future.
Zwingina also emphasised that though the states are not going to pay back the funds but such finances do not come easy.
“They come with strict rules and regulations and very cumbersome guildelines and processes which must be followed before an application is successful.
“The expenditure process is equally strict and rigorous, and there is no room for 10 per cent in the process at all. Perhaps this is why some Nigerian institutions did not show interest in the grants,” he stressed.
He noted that for the purpose of this phase of the programme, states were advised to identify not more than three projects each and list them by priority, adding that each state would have access to project grants between €50-100 million.
In his presentation, ASEU consultants from Turkey and Belgium, Dr. Ahmet Kocak who spoke through an interpreter, Ms. Sarah Korkarer, said the policy was aimed at increasing the standard of living in rural arears.
He added that the target was to contribute to increasing the quality of life of the people in rural arears, and to promote the cooperation between EU member states and 3rd world countries.
Also, the lead developer and chairman, Ekabi Group Limited, said while it was not uncommon for the private sector to take initiatives in Nigeria, but said more often than not, the initiatives suffer still births; while assuring that his company was committed to ensuring that the grants are judiciously utilised for the purpose intended for.
“We will establish 10 farm settlements in every state that is party to this agreement together with a farm hub for each state. Each farm settlement will be able to accommodate between 80-100 families. All infrastructure needed to live a meaningful life on each life settlement shall be provided,” he added.