ANEEJ Trains CSOs in Bayelsa State to Monitor Recovered Asset Utilization in Primary Health Care

YENAGOA, BAYELSA STATE – October 15, 2025… The Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), under the Nigeria Illicit Finance Resilience Project supported by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), successfully held a one-day training session for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Bayelsa State on Wednesday, October 15, 2025.

The training, which took place in Yenagoa, was specifically designed for members of the Bayelsa NGOs Forum (BANGOF) and focused on equipping participants with the skills and tools required to conduct a baseline data collection survey on selected Primary Health Centres (PHCs) across the state. These PHCs are beneficiaries of the recovered $954,807.40 Alamieyeseigha loot, earmarked for reinvestment into health infrastructure.

The initiative is part of ANEEJ’s ongoing efforts to promote transparency, accountability, and effective sub-national asset restitution. It builds on a two-day capacity-building workshop held on September 25–26, 2025, which convened CSOs, CBOs, and media stakeholders to foster civic oversight of asset recovery and reinvestment processes.

Training Outcomes

A total of 25 participants attended the training, and 16 were selected for field deployment. The team will conduct baseline assessments across eight PHCs, one in each of Bayelsa’s local government areas (LGAs), to document the “before” conditions of the facilities and establish a performance matrix to guide future monitoring and evaluation.

The deployment plan is as follows:

S/N PHC LGA Assigned Monitors (BANGOF)
1. Bekekiri PHC, Brass – Inatimi Odio, Ebizino Ageda
2. Agoro PHC, Ekeremor – Dr. Charles Oyibo, Sarah Evin
3. Akakumama PHC, Nembe – Tare Amananagha, Ayebatari Francis
4. Okodi PHC, Ogbia – Fyne Otokito, Benita Opia
5. Sabagreia PHC, Kolokuma/Opokuma – Chief Nengi James, Blessing Akoko
6. Okumbiri PHC, Sagbama – Dauseye Daniel, Joy Ogboghene
7. Otuan PHC, Southern Ijaw – Zebedee Udu, Eunice Nnanchi
8. Ikebiri PHC, Yenagoa – Adakien Torukuru, Lady Stella Doumu

Key Resolutions and Next Steps
1. Immediate Commencement of Field Survey: The baseline survey will be independently conducted between October 20–24, 2025, without financial support from government agencies.
2. Engagement with Health Authorities: A prior courtesy meeting with the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Health on October 14, 2025, helped secure cooperation for community access during the survey.
3. Development of Performance Matrix: Data collected will support the creation of a monitoring framework to track improvements across the PHCs.
4. Standardised Data Collection Tool: A uniform tool has been adopted to ensure consistency and comparability across all survey locations.
5. Data Reporting and Sharing: Findings from the baseline survey will be compiled into a report and shared with key stakeholders, including the Bayelsa State Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Justice, and other relevant partners.

Conclusion

The training has significantly enhanced the capacity of CSOs in Bayelsa to conduct evidence-based oversight of recovered asset use. It sets the stage for transparent and effective utilization of the recovered Alamieyeseigha funds, ensuring they serve the purpose of improving primary health care delivery for the people of Bayelsa State.

Signed:
Innocent Edemhanria
Programme Manager, ANEEJ