NAN-AE-11
Projects
By Vivian Emoni
Abuja, Jan. 19, 2017 (NAN) Mrs Ibironke Olubamise, National Coordinator, Global Environmental Facility/Small Grant Programme, (GEF/SGP), on Thursday said that the organisation would support FCT projects with 50,000 U.S. dollars (about N15.3 million) in 2017.
Ibironke, who made this known to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, said that that the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) would also ensure that the projects in FCT communities were implemented according to specifications.
She said that the projects included all FCT government secondary schools and a community in Apo Resettlement Area in Abuja, among others.
Ibironke said that the projects were aimed at creating awareness among students in the FCT on the dangers of filthy environment.
She said that the students would also be educated in home-management and skills’ acquisition procedures.
She said that the GEF/SGP had been carrying out environmental projects in communities across the country, while supporting vulnerable persons in various communities.
The national GEF/SGP coordinator said that the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) was launched in 1992 by the World Bank, with 33 countries participating under the pilot phase.
Ibironke, however, said that the Small Grant Programme (SGP) was later launched to complement the work of GEF in providing critical infrastructure for local communities.
“The GEF/SGP has been expanded to provide assistance to 132 countries.
“We believe that community-driven and civil society-led initiatives can generate environmental benefits, while supporting sustainable livelihoods and local empowerment.
“This is one of the most effective ways of addressing global environmental challenges.
“GEF/SGP is one of the institution’s largest standing funding programmes which have supported communities in various projects.
“A poor and vulnerable community can use a small grant to develop capacity for a larger project.
“Once a community has proven the effectiveness of an innovative idea on the ground, it can often scale up its impact through networking with other communities and partner organisations.
“These results, in turn, usually attract additional donors and government support for wider applications,’’ she said.
Ibironke said that GEF/SGP had provided financial and technical support for communities to meet the overall objectives of global environmental benefits, secured through community-based initiatives and actions.
She noted that the GEF/SGP had also given direct support actions to combat environmental issues such as climate change, biodiversity, polluted international waters, land degradation and persistent organic pollution. (NAN)
VOE/MOL/OOK
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Edited by Mustapha Lamidi, Dayo Komolafe