ANEEJ announce CASARN Closure, lists gains

By DADA AYOKHAI

The Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, ANEEJ has announced the conclusion of  the implemention of Civil Society Advocacy to Support Anti-Corruption  and Rule of Law in Nigeria  project.

 According to ANEEJ , the CASARN Project recorded  string of achievements which include the development of Integrity and accountability strategy for Edo state, EDSIAS, the an innovative Compliance ranking of federal MDAs on the Nigeria Open Contracting Portal NOCOPO, and provided a platform  for CSOs to interface with the Edo state ministry of budget and economic planning.

Speaking with journalists, ANEEJ executive director, the Rev David Ugolor who was represented by his deputy, Leo Atakpu, said that the CASARN Project was expected to improve oversight, transparency and accountability in the management of resources, and enhance CSO participation in the fight against corruption.

‘ANEEJ has trained CSOs and journalists on several issues including Open government partnership, OGP, FOI advocacy, budgeting and budget/project monitoring. 
"We are glad to inform you that the project largely achieved the purpose for which it was designed, and has thrown up emerging issues that will require follow up actions by civil society organisations and the media’, the Rev Ugolor said.

The project was implemented as part of the fight against corruption, strengthen the rule of law and anti-corruption, ROLAC, programme, funded by the European Union and implemented by the British Council in Nigeria.

‘ANEEJ through the ROLAC programme was part of the process that led to the development of a draft freedom of information bill for Edo state, and mobilized CSOs to and media to review the bill. The CASARN project has opened up possibilities for CSOs to advance their work in research and publication around key governance issues and anti-corruption, procurement observation, reporting using the open contracting portal and following up on bid openings by MDAs’, the Rev Ugolor told journalists.

To accomplish these though, the Rev Ugolor said that ANEEJ surmounted several challenges. ‘Even though there were several risks and challenges identified prior to carrying out the CASARN project,  nobody anticipated the COVID 19 Pandemic. 
 For a project that was supposed to bring a large gathering of stakeholders together, we had to abide by the non-pharmaceutical regulations put in place by the authorities. In addition, even though we enjoyed the support of government, we had to deal with issues of red tape and some form of government bureaucracy. There were also issues of specification with contractors but because we have put our act together, many of these issues helped to give us focus to push forward to the end’, the Rev Ugolor said.

Mr Imonitie Omokhordion is Edo State programme Officer for the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption ROLAC programme. He said that rather than allow several shades of opinion work against the actualization of the CASARN project,  ANEEJ was able to steer all shades of CSOs points of view into one  into one pool. ‘In implementing projects like this, one of the key problems CSOs face is articulating the various views of stakeholders. We know there is a vibrant CSO in Edo State. Therefore, a key role ANEEJ played is in ensuring that these actors are brought together for a common purpose’, Omokhordion said.     



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