Nigeria gets fresh $89m USAID grant, Norway backs UNEP report

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) yesterday announced a fresh $89 million grant to assist Nigeria in herb quest to achieve the development goals outlined in Development Objectives Assistance Agreement entered into by both countries in 2015.

Nearly half of the support ($44 million) would support HIV/AIDS control through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

A further breakdown shows that $15 million would go for the boosting of agricultural and economic activities in the North East; $11m for strengthening of the education sector;  $10.5 million as support to good governance while $9 million would be deployed to improve water and sanitation infrastructure.

The new funding brings the total U.S. government assistance provided under the five-year assistance agreement to $808.5 million.

“This new assistance underscores how important the relationship between Nigeria and the United States continues to be.

The agency collaborated with the ministries of Budget and National Planning; Health; Agriculture; Power and Education as well as state-level government counterparts – among others – to structure the bilateral pact which runs through 2020.

Besides, the United States provides humanitarian assistance to people affected by the ongoing conflict and severe food insecurity in the country and throughout the Lake Chad Basin.

In a related development, Norway has indicated interest to support the Federal Government in the implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report on Ogoniland.

The Norwegian Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Kjemprud Jens-Petter, made the pledge yesterday after visiting three oil spill sites in Eleme and Gokhana council areas of Rivers State

The envoy recalled that the report had clocked seven years, adding that the international community considers it necessary to be of help to the Nigerian government in pushing forward the implementation of the document.

The envoy explained that his country was the biggest contributor to the United Nations, adding that, with Nigeria’s former Minister of Environment, Amina Muhammed in the UN, the support would be facilitated.