By Solomon OKPO.
In a strategic effort to attract development and investment to Eket, the Village Head of Odoro Atabong, Mkpisong Dr. Ferdinand Ikwang, has played a pivotal role in facilitating the implementation of a Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN) and Ford Foundation-funded project in the area.
Welcoming the SDN team to his palace on Tuesday, Dr. Ikwang commended the organization for selecting EMOIMEE Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) as a beneficiary of the initiative. He assured them of the community’s commitment to working collaboratively to ensure the project’s success.
“It is a welcome development to have you in our community to commence this initiative. This project will strengthen the HCDT’s mandate through capacity building, ensuring effective implementation that directly benefits our people,” Dr. Ikwang stated.
Drawing from his extensive experience with intervention projects in the Niger Delta, the monarch emphasized the need for tangible impacts that align with community expectations. He expressed confidence that the collaboration between SDN and HCDT would address critical infrastructure and human capital development gaps in EMOIMEE and other trusts across the Niger Delta.
“We appreciate EMOIMEE for their initial efforts, but we also want to see visible and sustainable impacts from HCDT interventions,” he added.
The SDN team met with key officials of EMOIMEE HCDT, including Chief Ulo Uye (Head of Management Committee), Dr. Joshua Ndoho (Secretary), and Chief Etiakam Umana (Chief Accountant). Elder Godwin Ekong, Chief of Staff to the Odoro Atabong Monarch, was also in attendance.
SDN’s Commitment to Sustainable Community Development
Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN), an international NGO with over two decades of experience in the Niger Delta, focuses on community-led development through a rights-based approach. Funded by the Ford Foundation, the organization operates across four key areas: governance, environment, security & stabilization, and economic diversification.
As part of this initiative, SDN has developed an Independent Monitoring and Evaluation Framework to track the effectiveness of HCDT projects.
Mrs. Ifeoma Ndekwu, SDN’s Deputy Programme Manager and Project Lead, outlined the project’s core objectives, which include conducting baseline research, organizing capacity-building workshops, and developing an independent electronic monitoring and evaluation tool.
“We believe that HCDTs have the potential to transform communities in the Niger Delta, but their success depends on the capacity of those implementing them,” she noted.
Dr. Chiekezi Opara, Head of Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability & Learning (MEAL), stressed the importance of tracking project implementation to ensure accountability and prevent resource mismanagement. He highlighted concerns over abandoned projects in the Niger Delta, attributing them to poor needs assessments and inadequate oversight.
“Some projects have been completed but remain unused, while others were abandoned under the previous Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) framework. To prevent this, we must track milestones, ensure proper project completion, and prioritize community satisfaction,” Dr. Opara explained.
The initiative aligns with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, which mandates oil and gas companies to allocate a percentage of their annual budget for host community development. By strengthening HCDT governance and implementation, SDN aims to drive sustainable growth and improve the quality of life in Eket and other host communities.
