VZCZCXRO0044
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHOS #0118/01 0921244
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 011244Z APR 08
FM AMCONSUL LAGOS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9835
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 9556
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 0190
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH AFB UK
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RHMCSUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 000118 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - HANDLE ACCORDINGLY 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/W, INR/AA, DS/DSS/OSAC, OES 
OSLO FOR HELENA SCHRADER 
DOE FOR GPERSON 
TREASURY FOR ASEVERENS, SRENENDER, DFIELDS 
COMMERCE FOR KBURRESS 
STATE PASS USTR FOR FLISER, AGAMA 
STATE PASS USAID FOR GWEYNAND AND SLAWAETZ 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC SENV NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: EDO NDDC PROJECTS APPEAR TO BENEFIT 
COMMUNITY; NATIONAL PARK OFFERS ECOTOURISM 
 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED; HANDLE ACCORDINGLY 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: The Edo State Commissioner for the Niger 
Delta Development Commission (NDDC) on March 12 showed 
visiting Nigeria desk officer Andrew Silski four projects 
around Benin City, including school blocks, road 
construction, and a solar powered water project.  Emboffs 
were unable to determine the cost of these and other projects 
or whether these costs are in any way commensurate with the 
approximately USD 4 million budget Edo State NDDC receives 
monthly.  Deskoff also visited the Okomu National Park in Edo 
State, which appears to be successfully protecting wildlife 
and old growth forest; it remains to be seen whether the park 
will generate employment opportunities for the surrounding 
communities. End Summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
Edo NDDC Funds Roads, Schools, Solar Water Projects 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶2. (U) On March 12, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, Niger Delta 
Development Commission (NDDC) representative for Edo State, 
gave Nigeria Deskoff and Emboffs a tour of a few of the 
Commission's projects in and around Benin City, Edo State. 
Commissioner Iduoriyekemwen explained that Edo is often the 
smallest oil producer of the nine NDDC states and in 2007 the 
Edo NDDC office received between USD 3.8 and 4.2 million per 
month from the Federal Government. (Note: The reduction in 
revenue is likely due in part to militant attacks on 
pipelines in Delta State that cut off Edo's oilfields and to 
territorial disputes over production sites near Delta State. 
End Note.)  Therefore, Iduoriyekemwen said, the NDDC 
typically funds projects under USD 17 million in areas where 
population needs are great, such as the capitol (Benin City) 
and where communities lobby for particular projects.  Deskoff 
saw two road construction projects, six new school blocks, 
and a soon to be finished 20,000 gallon solar powered water 
project in a rural area. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Discussing government's relationship with the NDDC, 
Iduoriyekemwen said Edo State Governor Oserheimen Osunbor 
works with the NDDC to avoid duplicating projects.  The 
Federal Government does not make its required contribution to 
the NDDC on a timely basis, Iduoriyekemwen said, but the 
international oil companies can be relied upon to pay their 
shares on time.  Emboffs noted that the main street in Benin 
City was in need of repair; Iduoriyekemwen said it was a 
federal road and therefore outside the NDDC's purview. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Describing project proposal solicitation, 
Iduoriyekemwen said small projects are publicly advertised at 
the NDDC office in Benin City while large projects are 
published in nationwide media sources.  Interested 
contractors reportedly undergo a prequalification assessment 
to determine their competence.  The NDDC then considers the 
most realistic bids, which are not always the cheapest, he 
noted, and in-house engineers offer their analysis and 
recommend which bid to award. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
Ecotourism Opportunities at Nigerian National Park 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶5. (U) Deskoff toured the Okomu National Park and Ecoresort 
in Edo State on March 13.  Okomu, located on the border of 
Nigeria's south-south and south-west regions (between Edo and 
Ondo states), is home to one of Nigeria's two rainforests and 
boasts a diverse range of wildlife.  In addition to the 
rarely seen monkeys, chimpanzees, forest elephants and forest 
buffalo, the park is reportedly home to over 200 species of 
birds and over 700 species of butterflies.  Deskoff saw 
numerous butterflies and birds during this excursion, as well 
as recent evidence suggesting elephants were in the vicinity. 
 
LAGOS 00000118  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
 
¶6. (U) The Park also offers an Ecoresort which is capable of 
lodging 24 visitors (12 rooms offering two twin beds) in the 
heart of the forest.  The facilities appeared new and in 
excellent physical condition.  According to the tour guide, 
over 20 guests each month visit Okomu. 
 
¶7. (U) Yakubu Kolo, Director of the Park, told Deskoff that 
his office meets nearby communities on a weekly basis to 
discuss the importance of the park and its biodiversity of 
flora and fauna.  Kolo said community members help park 
rangers monitor the park's perimeters for poachers and 
illegal loggers.  Illegal logging is reportedly a great 
threat to the park's old growth trees, some of which reach a 
circumference of over 20 feet. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Comment: The road and school projects we saw in Edo 
state appeared to be well-used and in strategic locations 
(there were hundreds of children at the school and much 
traffic on the completed roads).  The rural water project was 
located near a village but in an area which seemed to be 
slated for upscale housing.  While Emboffs were happy to have 
the chance to view these apparently successful projects, we 
had no way to gauge the cost of these and other NDDC 
projects, nor to determine whether those costs are in any way 
commensurate with the approximately USD 4 million budget Edo 
NDDC receives monthly.  Nor could we assess whether other 
criticisms levied at the NDDC, such as lack of transparency 
in its procurement processes, were valid. 
 
¶9. (SBU) The Okomu National Park is clearly one of Nigeria's 
ecological gems offering at least temporary protection for 
species threatened by the poverty of the human inhabitants of 
the surrounding area.  Emboffs were unable to observe whether 
the park will offer employment or other development 
opportunities to the surrounding community. End Comment. 
 
¶10. (U) This cable was cleared by Deskoff and Embassy Abuja. 
BLAIR