The Leadership Initiative for Transformation & Empowerment (LITE-Africa) signed a Financial Support Agreement (FSA) with the ECOWAS Commission on the 15th of November 2019 to undertake the implementation of the Activity working in partnership with the Nigerian Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons (PRESCOM).
The Management of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) action has the overall objective to contribute to building and maintaining peace, security, and stability in West Africa to ensure conditions for development. The SALW action is a selected key component of the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework (ECPF) to augment its efforts at preventing further the proliferation of illicit trafficking and flow of SALW in Nigeria. The SALW Nigerian component is an Activity under the STRENGTHENING PEACE, SECURITY AND STABILITY IN WEST AFRICA (ECOWAS GRANT 2) awarded to the ECOWAS Commission by the European Union in 2016. This Activity faced a number of initial challenges and delays to get the implementation off the ground as the ECOWAS Commission was unable to reach an agreement with the initially proposed implementing partner – the UNDP. LITE-Africa was contacted and granted the fund to implement the activities.
Planned activities
- Sensitization and Advocacy
- Support to PRESCOM for legal and regulatory status
- Weapons Collection, Registration and Destruction Exercise
- Implementation of Community Based Micro Projects
- Implementation of alternative Livelihood support to the South – South regions (western axis) to prevent violent conflicts, and
- Institutional Capacity Strengthening
The action results
1: Sensitization and Advocacy
The activities to be carried out in view of producing this output include:
- 1.1 Developing a communication and Advocacy strategy for Nigeria and focused on the targeted states. Consultancy services for 7 states
- 1.2. Community engagement / town hall meetings/ focus group discussion with community members, community engagement on sensitization, advocacy and assessment – Workshops/Meetings for 327 persons
- 1.3: Production of information, education and communication materials (Construction of Billboards) Production of material for 7 states
Support to PRESCOM for legal and regulatory status
The activities to be carried out in view of producing this output include:
- 2.1 High level engagements with the National Assembly members and Executives arms of Government (including workshop etc.) – Engagement with National Assembly members and executive arms of government at off-site location
- 2.2: Capacity Building Training for Security Forces and relevant actors on SALW in focal States. Capacity building training on border management for 450 person.
6.2.3: Validation of mapping and Inventory exercise for locally manufactured Weapons and Fire Arms – validation
Weapons Collection, Registration and Destruction Exercise
The activities to be carried out in view of producing this output include:
- 3.1 Provision of 10 Weapon collection facilities in targeted communities and destruction of arms. Provision for tents and containers made for the security apparatus at the selected border communities to boost morale and enhance arms collection and storage for 7 states
- 3.2 Conduct of needs assessment / community engagements in target communities – Mission/Consultancy fees for 7 states.
- 3.3 Weapons collection exercise in targeted regions. Logistics arrangement for the collection, marking and transportation of weapons collected to storage site.
- 3.4. Conduct of 2 physical destruction of illicit SALW recovered from the selected Communities in collaboration with the Nigerian Military (engagement of consultants) – Stakeholders/Experts to carry out destruction exercise at in 5 North-West states
Implementation of Community Based Micro Projects
The activity to be carried out in view of producing this output is set out below:
- 4.1 Selected communities will be provided with community micro projects based on the number of arms collected. Funding of micro-projects for 21 communities (3 per state)
Implementation of alternative Livelihood support to the South – South regions (western axis) to prevent violent conflicts
The activities to be carried out in view of producing this output include:
- 5.1 Conduct and set up of a comprehensive biometric registration system targeted at beneficiaries for provision of alternative livelihood programming – Purchase of 2 data capture biometrics equipment . 2 weeks training for 6 support staff + field work in the 7 states
- 5.2 Conduct of a comprehensive skills mapping for alternative livelihood support after disarmament – Consultancy to conduct the orientation and skills mapping exercise
- 5.3 Provision of training support for targeted beneficiaries (Skills and attitudinal training, Vocational training, Business development training -Data entry, Internship program/career development, Agricultural business Greenhouse farming) – Training support for 300 persons in 2 batches (year 1 & 2)
- 5.4 Provision of start-up equipment support and mentoring/business incubation support services for 300 beneficiaries – Procurement of equipment for 300 beneficiaries (year 1 & 2).
Institutional Capacity Strengthening
The activities to be carried out in view of producing this output include:
- 6.1: Administrative and Human Resources Needs. Recruitment of two professionals:
- National Programme Officer ( Pro forma Noncore cost 24 months)
- 6.2. Strengthening institutional capacity of WAANSA Nigeria.