The African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) is a non-profit, non-political, and non-governmental organization based in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. The Reverend David Ugolor founded ANEEJ while a student at the Edo State University (now Ambrose Alli University) in 1995; the organisation was constituted in 1998. For over 10 years ANEEJ has been working in Benin City, Edo State, and the Niger Delta region and has managed activities across the six geo-political zones of Nigeria. Working with local communities, civil society organisations, the private sector and state and national governments our focus is sustainable development, the alleviation of poverty and economic empowerment. ANEEJ has covered a number of issues during this time, including Debts and Structural Adjustments, monitoring International Financial Institutions (World Bank, International Monetary Fund, African Development Bank), Public Expenditure Management, Revenue Transparency, Budget Monitoring & Tracking and Environmental Issues including Water & Sanitation. This has led to activities such as the Public Eye on Oil Revenue, a public advocacy campaign, as well as initiating and developing the secretariat for the Publish What You Pay campaign, the publication Oil of Poverty in the Niger Deltaand the formation of the Niger Delta Budget Monitoring and Transparency Network (NDBMTN) and forming the secretariat for the Nigerian Water and Sanitation Network. ANEEJ advocates the importance of supporting the Nigerian national government and state governments in delivering equitable economic development for the Nigerian people. ANEEJ is currently working with state governments in the Delta region to support building the capacity of state Oil Commissions in the delivery of their work. ANEEJ is aware of the importance of highlighting climate change as an issue that will impact negatively in the Delta region, already identified as one of the largest vulnerable regions in sub Saharan Africa. ANEEJ is opening dialogue with stakeholders on this issue and will be encouraging the development of a Niger Delta Climate Change Strategic Plan. ANEEJ meets its policy objectives in collaboration with a number of organizations and institutions across the globe. Following are some of the key activities during the last few years. Nigeria ANEEJ/Nigerian Union of Journalist Seminar on International Women’s Day Celebrations, Benin City, May, 2002 Seminar on International Day Against Dams, March14, 2000 – 2003 Sensitization Workshop on the Hydroelectric Power Producing Commission and the World Commission on Dams Report, Minna, Niger State, November 2003 Reference Workshop on a Study on Management of Oil Revenue in the Niger Delta States, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, November, 2003 National NGO Consultative Meeting on Water and Sanitation in Nigeria, Lagos, December, 2003 Hosting the Secretariat of the Publish What You Pay (PWYP) Campaign, Nigeria and the Nigerian Network on Stolen Assets since 2004, and coordinating the CSOs that are involved in monitoring repatriated Abacha loots under the Public Expenditure Management and Financial Accountability Review (PEMFAR) tripartite agreement between the World Bank and the Swiss and Nigerian governments. Coordinating Secretariat for the Niger Delta Budget Monitoring and Transparency Network ( A network of CSOs, CBOs and grassroots organizations doing budget work in the Oil-producing states) Conducted training workshops, seminars and community dialogues for CSOs, CBOs, the media and the local communities on public participation (Public Budgeting) in governance since 2001 Tracking of Commonwealth Education Funds (CEF) in Edo state Mapping of CSOs involved in budget monitoring activities in Niger Delta, for ActionAid International Nigeria, and Pact Nigeria, Managers of USAID ADVANCE project Regional West African Conference on Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility (ESAF) and HIPC, Djregbe, Benin Republic, 1998 Our first International Conference on debt in West Africa was in April 1998. The conference was organized in Republic of Benin in collaboration with EURODAD and pan African Center for Social Prospects with support form OXFAM UK, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This conference led to the foundation of the ECOWAS Network on Debt and Development (ECONDAD) The African Social Forum, Bamako, Mali, 2002 African/Middle East Regional Consultation on World Commission on Dams, Cairo, Egypt, 1999 West African Regional Consultation on ESAF and Debt, Togo, 1999 The forum was used by the Breton Woods Institutions to consult with the civil society Organizations that preceded the G8 meeting in Cologne, 1999. ECONDAD Annual Conference, Bukina Faso, 2000 ECONDAD Reality of Aid Meeting, Lagos, September 2003, Abuja 2005 Jubilee South Strategic Meeting, Lagos, May, 2003 International International Conference on Financing for Development, March 2002 in Monterrey, Mexico. ANEEJ organized a Side Event in collaboration with Norwegian Civil Society with representatives from the United States, Swiss Government, IMF and World Bank. The International Freshwater Conference, Bonn, Germany, 2001 The World Social Forum held in February 2002 in Porto Alegre, Brazil G8 Summits –Germany, Italy, Japan and the UK Second World Water Forum, Hague, Netherlands, 2000 Third World Water Forum, Kyoto, Japan, 2003 The International Members of Parliament Meeting on Debt, Hague, March, 2002. ANEEJ facilitated the invitation of the Senate President of the National Assembly, Chief Pius Anyim to represent Nigeria and participate in the meeting. The United Nations Ad Hoc Committee Meeting for the negotiation of an International Conference on Corruption held in June 2002 in Vienna, Austria The British Government-led Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI) workshop in London, February 2003 The European Union Multi-stakeholders Forum in Brussels, September, 2003 The United Nations High Level Dialogue on Financing for Development October 2003, UN HQ, New York Commissioned Research World Council of Churches (WCC): Women and Globalization United Nations Economic Commission for Africa Global Integrity: Carried out a survey on Anti-corruption in Nigeria World Commission on Dams: Evaluation of the Socio-Environment Impact of Kainji Dam, 2000. Reality of AID, Africa and Global Editions, 2004.
Donors ANEEJ has maintained good relationships with a number of funding agencies, and has received funding from: o Action Aid International, Nigeria o AFRODAD, Harare o AIDC, South Africa/Jubilee South o Bothends o DFID, UK o EED, Bonn Germany o Environmental Monitoring Group, South Africa o EURODAD, Belgium o FCO, UK o Global Green Grants Foundation, USA o Heinrich Boll Foundation, Nigeria o Inter-Church Action (ICA)/CIDA, Canada o Norwegian Trust Fund/World Bank o NOVIB/Oxfam, Netherlands o Open Society for West Africa (OSIWA) o Oxfam, United Kingdom o Save the Children, UK o Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC), Sweden o Swiss government o United Nations Development Programme(UNDP), New York o United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Kenya o USAID, Washington o World Council of Churches |