FG Lauds DDI for Supporting Renewable Energy Businesses
Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja
The federal government has commended the Diamond Development Initiatives (DDI) for ameliorating poverty by providing support for emerging businesses through renewable energy and agro allied businesses.
The Special Adviser to the President on Nigerian Social Investment Programme (NSIP), Mrs Maryam Uwais made the commendation yesterday in Abuja during the commemoration of 20th anniversary of DDI.
Uwais, who represented the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo at the occasion, said DDI had created partnerships and networked with the right people and organisations to create initiatives that impacted on a lot of poorer communities.
She said the initiatives had birthed businesses that are linking businesses to markets and scrutinizing grants management.
“It shows that they actually have it right – creating partnerships and networking with the right people and organisations to ensure impact. And government has certain aspirations including the fact we want to reduce poverty by 100 million people in 10 years. And this kind of initiative really supports that effort. Efforts like that of the DDI show it can be done in small spaces, so we are very encouraged by what we have seen,” Uwais said.
In his remarks, the Executive Director, DDI, Mallam Adamu Garba, said in the past 20 years, DDI had assisted over 600,000 farmers, groups and cooperative societies.
In addition, he said the organisation has facilitated over 8,000 off-grid energy connections to rural households and funded over 2,000 connections businesses by different sources in different part of the country.
In her address, the DDI Board Chairman, Dr. Lydia Umar, said as a development service provider, the organisation was established in 2002 to complement development agencies and donors with a mission to build a society that provides equitable opportunity for self-actualisation through economic empowerment and sustainable livelihood initiatives.
