The European Union (EU) has executed 84 projects in Imo and Abia states, south Nigeria through its Micro Projects Program 6 (MPP6) since 2001, the official News Agency of Nigeria reported Friday.

Uzo Uhegbu, zonal coordinator of the MPP6 for the two states, was quoted as saying that 42 projects had been executed in each of the states.

Uhegbu described the program as "community-driven with communities determining their needs, including health, community centers, water, agriculture and markets."

In addition, he added, each of the two states would get 30 projects in the third phase of the program scheduled to wind up in 2008.

According to the coordinator, the projects are aimed at checking youth restiveness in the Niger Delta states of Imo, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Ondo.

"They were being implemented through civil society organizations or non-governmental organizations (NGOs)," he said.

He noted that the agency chose to operate through selected NGOs which it had trained on EU project implementation models to save time and resources "as it will be cumbersome to deal with all community-based associations."

The coordinator pointed out that the agency emphasized gender equity in the implementation of the projects, noting that the program was designed to build the capacity of local communities to enable them to be independent.

Source: Xinhua