About 60 stakeholders made up of the government, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), journalists, donors and community persons will be meeting in Abuja, Nigeria on Monday (today) to review projects implemented under the Strengthening Civil Advocacy and Local Engagement (SCALE) project.
The Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) is currently leading the “anti-corruption cluster” to implement the “Enhancing Anti-corruption and Social Inclusive Reform Initiatives in Nigeria” project as the anchor organization working with eight other partners. The SCALE project is a USAID-funded five-year project being implemented by Palladium in collaboration with Nigeria Resource Partners (RPs).
The anti-corruption cluster project is designed to strengthen the capacity of CSOs and journalists as advocates to engage government on anti-corruption and social inclusive policy reforms issues at the national level and in six oil and gas producing states (Edo, Delta, Abia, Imo, Rivers and Ondo States). It is equally advocating for transparency, accountability and reforms within the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the five Oil and Gas Producing Areas Development Commissions in the Niger Delta.
As part of the implementation of the project, ANEEJ is holding the project mid-term review meeting for cluster members and key stakeholders. This meeting will be used to review project implementation so far, progress, challenges and, lessons learned, to conclude the first year of the project by February 2023.
As part of the implementation of ANEEJ SCALE project, ANEEJ Executive Director, Rev. David Ugolor, on 30 August 2022, led the anti-corruption cluster to an engagement meeting with the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) to discuss the research report on effectiveness of the operations of oil and gas commissions in the Niger Delta.
There, he presented the policy brief containing research findings and recommendations to oil and gas commissions to OSOPADEC chairman, Mr. Sam Erejuwa, during the engagement meeting. The commission promised to publish its annual report by the end of the year, revisit abandoned projects and also commit to peer review meeting with other commissions. The Commission said it is willing to be the first commission to host other commissions on the 13 percent derivation.
