States to compete for planning support at the 2018 Niger Delta development forum

FOUNDATION for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) and other development partners will hold the seventh edition of its Niger Delta Development Forum (NDDF) 2018, with the theme, “Delivering Results: Executing a State-Led Plan.”

In a press statement made available to reporters in Abuja on Sunday, PIND Knowledge and Communications Manager, Chichi Nnoham-Onyejekwe said this year’s forum will feature a regional State Pitch Competition, where the Niger Delta States are invited to identify and present a proposal for long-term planning at this year’s Roundtables. Two states with the best plans will be supported with technical and financial assistance from development partners to make these long-term plans a reality.

Additionally, this year’s NDDF, which follows up from the recommendations of the 2017 forum, will convene roundtables during which challenges, innovations, cross-sector opportunities, and lessons will be reflected upon to discover unique means states should take to facilitate planning. The recommendations of the 2017 forum called for a bottom-up approach to regional development and governance alongside a strong emphasis on state governments to develop a framework for strategic planning for development, competitiveness, and inclusive growth.

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Nnoham-Onyejekwe said that the 2018 NDDF will convene two roundtables that will be held in Benin, Edo State, and Port Harcourt, Rivers State on November 27th and 29th respectively is hosted by PIND in collaboration with the Market Development in the Niger Delta, European Union’s Niger Delta Support Programme, and other partners.

Nnoham-Onyejekwe also quoted the Executive Director of PIND, Dr Dara Akala as saying that the NDDF 2018 will give the Niger Delta States the opportunity for peer-to-peer learning and experience sharing activities between government and other stakeholders to facilitate the implementation of state-led development roadmaps in the region.

“States will get the opportunity to share their vision for their State-led planning processes and get feedback and support to help these local actors make informed decisions on the policy strategies, structures, and actions to apply in their areas of planning,” the statement quoted Akala as saying. Akala also added that states will get the opportunity to share their vision for their State-led planning processes and get feedback and support to help local actors make informed decisions on the policy strategies, structures, and actions to apply.

PIND noted that the expected output from this year’s event includes a planning policy database, planning audits, and state road maps.

The statement went further to explain that during this year’s NDDF there will be a review of each State’s development plans and their current planning and monitoring and evaluation approaches, which will inform gaps necessary to completing development of a holistic plan.

The NDDF is an annual forum for multi-stakeholder conversations on economic development and policy in the Niger Delta. Held in a different Niger Delta city or cities every year, it has become a go-to platform for meaningful development discourse, mobilizing interest for Niger Delta development and stimulating investments in agriculture and small businesses development in the region.