GENDER AND ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT

FUNDED BY MACARTHUR THROUGH WRAPA AND IMPLEMENTED BY CIRDDOC NIGERIA IN ENUGU STATE

Project Justification

The drive for accountability and anti-corruption so far in Nigeria does not reflect a significant contribution of women’s voices. Neither does it squarely address women’s issues as a strategic concern to women’s contributions or as it affects them.

The narrative is further reinforced by cultural constructs and faith misrepresentations to justify the denial of women holding high public office.

MacArthur Foundation is supporting Nigerians to advance a movement towards increased transparency, accountability that improves quality of life for Nigerians. Focusing on the intersection of gender, corruption and accountability which is critical to the achievement of MacArthur Foundation’s strategic objectives.

Project Goals/Focus

  • To Amplify critical voices of women and gender issues in the anti-corruption and accountability discourse and drive
  • To Build and sustain messages and mechanisms that ensure disincentives to corruption
  • To Mainstream gender concerns across Nigeria’s social and political constituencies in the build up to the 2019 general elections and beyond

Expected Outcomes

  • Increased participation of women and an inclusion of gender issues in the accountability agenda.
  • Enhanced mechanisms for accountability and transparency that recognizes and promotes gender equality as a panacea for good governance

What have we done – Activities? 

Between July 1, 2018 and July 31, 2020 the following Impactful activities have been carried out namely:

  • Sensitization and Awareness creation on effects of corruption on women and girls using the August women general meeting.
  • Engagement meeting with community leaders, LGAs, State and Federal Actors, Anti-Corruption agencies, EEDC officials, MDAs. Religious leaders and Political party leaders.
  • 2 capacity building workshops were conducted. In the first year, a training  was conducted for  46 participants (36 women groups and 10 persons drawn from MDAs, Media, ICPC and EEDC) on interconnectivity  Gender, Poverty and Corruption and in the second year, another capacity building training on budgetary processes, monitoring and tracking of budget and project implementation was organized where 56 participants were trained 
  • 8 Review meetings with partners (4 per year)
  • 9 Town hall meetings ( 3 in year 1 and 6 in year 2),
  • 11 Radio programs (2 for year1 and 9 for year2),
  • Monitoring of UBEC funding, Home grown feeding program, Electricity distribution
  • State close out project meeting. 

   

Summary of Results/Achievements and Impact: In the  year 2 of this project, (2019-2020) a capacity building workshop was held where 50 CTAG members and other relevant government actors were trained to monitor/tracked budget and project implementation which yielded the following outcomes:

  • Formation and inauguration of CTAG Members helped to institutionalized anti-corruption discourse in 44 Communities across the 9 LGAs. 4856 women and girls groups sensitized using different dialogues platforms joined CTAG to re-enforce anti- corruption accountability agenda in their communities
  • At Aninri, CTAG members influenced the removal of a medical doctor posted in Okpanku who instead of dispensing the facility drugs sold his drugs to patients at a very high exorbitant cost and all the government drugs supplied to the hospital expired was identified as a corrupt medical personnel (Aninri). Influenced the registration of 33 transformers with EEDC. This improved the electricity supply in 5 communities in Aninri. Stopped the unwarranted intimidation and arrest of 7 women by the police and some unscrupulous individual who wants leadership at all cost in Oduma.
  • At Isi-Uzo, the 5 km roads leading to Umualor community which was abandoned since 2012 that was reported during the community reporting program at Dream FM has been completed. The 8 teachers at Umualor primary schools who abandoned their job have returned to classes after being penalized (refunded the salary) by the government. Also, the ongoing verification exercise to fish out ghost workers was influenced by CTAG members.
  • The Igboeze North CTAG members influenced the Completion of Central primary school 11 Igogoro, completion of Umuogbo –Aji road, Nkwo Igogoro road to Kogi and also influenced the completion of the abandoned electricity project at Igogoro. Water bore hole at Aji has been completed, courtesy of CTAG members   
  • In Udenu LGA, CTAG members influenced the ongoing verification exercise to fish out ghost workers in their pay roll which is due to be completed in October, 2020.
  • CTAG Nkanu East influenced the construction and completion of 3 classroom blocks at Aguiduma Amagunze which was approved since 2017. Forty seats were provided for the pupils.
  • CTAG members across the 11 LGAs monitored the HGSF in 250 schools before the advent of COVID 19. The monitoring exercise exposed corrupt practices in the program ranging from non-compliance to the policy, interference by politicians, and diversion of feeding money by some vendors. Low quality and quantity of the food served to children. Impact assessment of the feeding program was conducted by CTAG member in 196 schools using household and telephone method.  
  • Under Result area of this project, Anti- Corruption network was expanded and strengthened to disseminate results, best practice and learning with duty bearers at the state LGAs and community where G&A project has been implemented. The network expanded to include government officials at the state LGAs, other CSOs, Community leaders, religious leaders, MDAs and media both electronic and print. The involvement of these groups assisted in ensuring transparency and accountability in service delivery. The establishment of CTAG social Networking (WHATSAPP) platform where information on the project are shared created opportunity for exposing corrupt practices in the government systems and structures in Enugu State. Traditional leaders that participated in G&A implementation formed networks with other traditional leaders who were not directly involved in the project. Gender and Accountability project impacts are now discussed at the LGA, Zonal and State level that is why the monitoring of HGSF cut across the 17 LGAs.
  • One of the significant outcome of  G&A Project activities recorded was the recognition, acceptance, and adoption of  CTAG members by the State actors (legislators), community actors (traditional leaders and Local Government chairmen to work with them in the area of monitoring/oversights of projects to ensure accountability within the system. This was evidenced during the COVID -19 where the state and LGA actors invited them to monitor the palliatives distributions in communities.

 

Testimonies from Community Beneficiaries

“I feel belonged” and I can now stay in my community to exercise my Franchise (Hyacinth Obisi, PG Aguiduma community”

 

“We reach out to community women to drive home the message of corruption in a hitting manner. This is not a choice. It’s imperative. Corruption is deadly, poisonous. Avoid it so that poverty and inequality will exit”.  (CTAG members in 9 LGAs)

 

“Challenge gender stereotypes and bias”. “Women are the reservoir of talents in the world. If you want something said, ask a man. If you want something done ask a woman” (CTAG Members Udi).

 

“I like this project and I do not want the project to stop due to funding“(Hon Chairman Udi).

“A lot of things have been achieved with your support to CTAG /CIRDDOC to enable them effect change of behaviors, attitude and value toward corruption, and women inclusion. One of the outstanding achievements is the resuscitation of electricity supply, health care facility in my community. Doctors and nurses are now working on daily basis.” Let this project continue” (HRH, Igwe R.A Chukwu, Mkpume Asaa of Okpanku).

 

“Your activities have gone a long way in the fight against corruption and injustice, Specifically the Organization has exercised some oversight functions in community projects in Ogbuodoaba” (HRH, Igwe Engr Peter C Ejeh (KSJI, Chairman Traditional Ruling Council Udenu)

 

“CTAG/CIRDDOC members in Igboeze North has credibly done very well in the areas of developments and the fight against corruption in Nigeria.” (HRH, Igwe Dr. Simeon Osisi Itodo, Chairman Traditional Ruling Council, Igboeze North LGA).

 

“We are now able to ask questions and demand for Accountability on any project sited in our Community” (HRH Igwe J.C Egwuatu).

 

“Today we have become part of the government budgetary process and can rightly say that we are now part of today’s government” (HRH Igwe Felix Nwobodo Ani)

 

CTAG monitoring activities has revealed to us some of the corrupt practices going in the Local Government system ranging from non- attendance to duties by health workers, people that receive salaries but do not attend, and abandoned projects identified in various communities (Chairman Nkanu West LGA). 

 

  “CIRDDOC/CTAG members opened our eyes to see our problems and prospect” (President, Catholic Women Organization Awgu Diocese).

 

“Your project initiatives aimed at advancing gender equity, promoting and protecting human rights in our communities have no doubt helped to provide support and access to justice to vulnerable people in our localities” (Chairman, Isi-Uzo LGA)

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