ANEEJ audits Transparency Project

ANEEJ has started a 3-year transparency project which is titled ‘Strengthening Revenue Management in Niger Delta’. The aim of this project is to spur the government, civil society and other stakeholders to imbibe the culture of transparency and accountability in their activities. This project will focus on 5 states; Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Cross River. 

The Norwegian government through its embassy in Nigeria has committed 50% of the cost of this project. Also a donor agency from Germany has committed 25% of the cost. The launching of the inception which was hosted by the Edo state government was done on 21^st May, 2009 in Benin City. Series of workshops will be done across the five afore mentioned states, targeting major revenue management thematic areas.

The 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.