Nigeria, EU sign N18bn financing agreements

By The Citizen

The European Union on Tuesday signed €89m (about N18bn) financial agreements with the Federal Government to support the country's health and water programmes as well economic growth.

The Secretary, National Planning Commission, Mr. Fidelis Ugbo, signed the three financing agreements on behalf of the government, while the EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. David MacRae, signed on behalf of the union in Abuja, according to a  report by the News Agency of Nigeria.

Ugbo, who represented the Minister of National Planning, Dr. Shamsudeen Usman, said the agreements would help to expedite action toward implementing the programmes.

He said that the water supply and sanitation sector reform was conceived to contribute to poverty reduction, sustainable development and the achievement of the water and sanitation elements of the Millennium Development Goals in Adamawa, Ekiti, and Plateau states.

The secretary added that the total budget for the programme was €52m and that the European Development Fund's contribution toward its implementation was €40m.

He said that the maternal and newborn health programme was designed to significantly improve the health status of women and children through improved and sustainable primary health care delivery system in Adamawa and Kebbi states.

According to him, the total budget for the programme is €33m and the EDF's contribution to the programme is €30m.