§ Mr. RosindellTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what actions her Department has taken to further good governance in the oil producing states of Nigeria. [21858]
§ Clare ShortMy Department is focusing on three key areas of assistance in Nigeria: a governance and economic reform programme at federal level, with particular emphasis on strengthening the justice sector (including the police), implementing key economic reforms and promotion of an effective poverty reduction strategy; support in the continuing fight against HIV/AIDS; and working closely with four identified reforming states of the 36 states of Nigeria to demonstrate that reform can deliver practical benefits for the poor. None of our four focal states, Benue, Jigawa, Ekiti and Enugu, is oil producing. However, DFID supports good governance in oil producing states through the European Commission, which is implementing a large programme of small-scale community driven projects. These projects implement progressive and participatory community development, with the aim of enhancing the voice of the communities to articulate effective demand on services from state and local government. The programme is operational in Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states and will expand to a further three states. A DFID-seconded official has assisted the Delegation of the Commission in the development and implementation of this programme.