A press release issued at the backdrop of the threat by the management of the Niger Delta Development Commision (NDDC) to Social Action and partner Stations advocating for an accountable, transparent, and assessable Commision positioned for effective service delivery
Social Action soundly rejects the attempt by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to silence public discourse, as evidenced by the NDDC’s recent demand to cease broadcasting Social Action’s radio jingle on Independent Radio 89.7 FM, Abuja.
In a letter dated July 5, 2023, the NDDC decried Social Action’s jingle for addressing the rampant corruption within their institution. Let us be clear: “This is an unacceptable attack on our civic freedoms and a blatant attempt to smother the voices of the Niger Delta people, who have long borne the brunt of impoverishment and gross underdevelopment, despite the region’s rich resource endowment and the establishment of a Commission designed to foster its progress”, said Isaac Osuoka, Director of Social Action.
Social Action’s radio program, “The Voice on NDDC,” is committed to promoting robust discussions about accountability within the NDDC. Our aim is to intensify civic actions that drive transparency and ensure the Commission provides inclusive services. Our mission is not to smear the Commission but to expose the stark reality of its operations.
We have tirelessly extended invitations to both the NDDC and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs to participate in public discussions aimed at boosting accountability within the NDDC. These overtures have been consistently ignored. The NDDC’s sudden interest in its public image, despite its persistent apathy towards public engagement, is a cause for concern. When dialogue is shunned, the public has every right to form opinions based on the facts at hand.
We are hopeful that the new management has the capability to correct the myriad of issues plaguing the
Commission, as revealed by previous investigations carried out by the executive and legislative arms of the Nigerian government. However, hope is not a strategy. We call on the new management to demonstrate their commitment to reform by enhancing the Commission’s public image through transparent and accountable actions rather than attempting to manipulate public opinion.
While we acknowledge the NDDC’s concern, we adamantly refuse to be silenced or have our civic space
diminished. We insist the NDDC management take our requests for dialogue seriously and actively engage with media and civil society organizations to better fulfil their mandate.
Signed,
Botti Isaac
Programs Coordinator,
Social Action, Nigeria
On 20th June 2023, Social Development Integrated Centre (Social Action) with support from the MacArthur Foundation held a Twitter Space Conversation tagged; “Setting an Agenda for the NDDC under the New Administration”. The Conversation was conceived in the frame of the ongoing project which aims at promoting accountability and effective service delivery by the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC”.
This conversation brought together the management staff of the NDDC, civil society organizations, social and development practitioners, citizens of the Niger Delta Regions, and other relevant stakeholders to discuss how best citizens can work with the NDDC to promote accountability and effective service delivery. The space provided an opportunity for all in attendance to constructively discuss how the development of the region can better be championed under the new NDDC leadership.
This conversation had panellists namely the Chairman, of Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), Olanrewaju Suraju; Executive Director of Centre for Transparency Advocacy, Faith Nwadishi; political economy analyst and legislative scholar, Dr Uche Igwe; Rights Activist and Journalist, Dr Chido Onumah, and the Assistant Director, Public Enlightenment and Education Department of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Mrs Ese Okwong while the Executive Director of Policy Alert, Tijah Bolton-Akpan moderated the Conversation.
From the discussions that ensued, the following critical observations were made by participants:
OBSERVATIONS
The people of the Niger Delta have not benefited from the NDDC despite the trillions of naira that have accrued to the Commission over the years.
The Commission over the years has become manipulated and used for the settlement of political associates and empowerment of the elites at the expense of the people of the region whose lives have been destroyed by oil and gas exploration.
Those appointed to manage the affairs of the NDDC have shown little interest in the genuine development of the region.
The people of the region over the years have shown apathy and docility over the activities of the NDDC thus leaving room for a few elites to exploit the commission to their personal benefits
Accountability institutions like the ICPC, EFCC and the National Assembly have not shown adequate commitment to carrying out effective oversight of the activities of NDDC. The National Assembly specifically have been found to be more interested in the “cake” from the region rather than helping the region to develop.
The operations of NDDC have continued to be shrouded in deep secrecy hence the reason corruption thrives in the Commission.
Although the forensic audit of the NDDC was received by the Presidency in September 2021, 22 months after, the Presidency is yet to publish the report nor act on it.
In view of the observations, the following recommendations emerged from the dialogue:
RECOMMENDATIONS
The new administration must distinguish itself by undertaking serious reforms in the NDDC for the benefit of the people.
The New Administration should constitute an independent audit board for the NDDC, to carry out regular and continuous audits of NDDC activities and publish such quarterly.
The new administration should as a matter of urgency, constitute a new NDDC Board.
The new administration should stop using the NDDC as an institution for political settlement, and appoint only those who have a track record of genuine interest in the course of development of the region.
The funds of the NDDC is not a gift but an entitlement of the people of the Niger Delta, hence the people and the Civil society organisations must show serious interest in the NDDC revenue inflow and how these resources are spent thus checking corruption.
There is an urgent need for the National Assembly to go beyond the “off your mic” charade and carry out effective oversight of the activities of the NDDC.
The ICPC is commended over the Constituency and Executive Projects Tracking Groups (CEPTG) launched to track project infractions. However, the ICPC and other accountability institutions must ensure those found culpable of corrupt practices in the execution of NDDC projects are held to account and hence serve as deterrents to others.
The new administration should create more rooms for citizens to participate in the NDDC budget processes. A strong consultation process should be established to allow adequate input and participation of community people in the budget process.
The 10th National Assembly should ensure prompt passage of NDDC Budget to enable the effective utilization of allocated resources. That the NDDC Budget should be made accessible to the public like every other MDA.
The new administration as a starting point of reform for the NDDC should publish the forensic audit report of the commission hence showing value for the resources spent in the forensic audit and most importantly empower citizens with the necessary tool to set up a tracker that will track the implementation of recommendations in the audit report.
Civil society organizations should set up a tracker that will track the implementation of recommendations in the audit report.
Signed:
Social Action
Anino Atsekurubu, Acting Executive Director
Partners
Niger Delta Budget and Citizens Platform,
Guild of Community Development Advocate in Akwa Ibom State,
Centre for Transparency Advocacy
Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA)
Support & Training Entrepreneurship Program (STEP)
Rivers State Anticorruption Network,
Delta Civil Society Network,
Policy Alert,
African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL)
Get A Life Advocacy & Advancement Initiative
Imo NDDC Advocates,
Ondo Budget Transparency and Accountability Platform (OBTAP)
The African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), in collaboration with Social Development Integrated Centre (Social Action), on Thursday, February 16, 2023, held a symposium on Federalism, Democracy and the 2023 Election. The event was held at the Rockview Hotel Royale, Wuse 2, Abuja, Nigeria.
In his opening remarks, Dr Chido Onumah, coordinator of AFRICMIL said the conference was taking place amid heightened calls for a review of Nigeria’s federal system, which has continued to provoke questions about what the federating entities should be, citizenship rights and fiscal federalism. He further encouraged all to participate effectively in the conference, especially as the 2023 Elections is around the corner.
With communities and countries around the world experiencing the severe impacts of climate change, the Nigeria Social Action Conference 2022 served as a platform to promote dialogue around advancing local solutions to addressing the Nigeria climate crisis through collective actions. The Conference brought together climate activists, civil society organizations, government officials, parliamentarians, and academia to chart the ways and options for strengthening government policies and responses to the climate crisis in Nigeria. Coming at a period when Nigeria is reeling from unprecedented flooding that resulted in massive destruction of properties and livelihoods, and the recently concluded 27th Conference of Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Nigeria Social Action Conference 2022 promoted awareness about the need for Nigerians to examine our national and sub-national responses to loss and damage, as well as adaptation to climate change.
The Acting Executive Director of Social Action, Anino Arsekurubu, made the charge in a welcome address at the Nigeria Social Action Conference 2022 which was held at Rockview Hotel Royale, Abuja on Monday 5 December 2022. Ms Atsekurubu stressed the need for state and non-state actors to work together to actualize national commitments in the mitigation and adaptation of loss and damage. According to her, the flooding situation in Nigeria and other countries is a clear manifestation of inadequate government and social mechanisms to combat the endemic impact of climate change, as several lives and properties were lost to the floods, which also displaced about .3 Million Nigerians.
Acting Executive Director of Social Action Anino Atsekurubu, making her opening remark
Solidarity Messages of Stakeholders
Angela Odah from Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, in her goodwill message, commended all involved in the organization of the conference as well as all who have taken the time to attend the event. She urged attendees to engage in the conference, which is apt, given the devastating effect of the recent flood in the country.
Solidarity message from Angela Odiah of the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation
David Okafor, who represented the Director General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET), commended Social Action for the event and encouraged all to pay attention to the event as it was not one for celebration but deliberation on how to address the damage by flood and drought in Nigeria.
Timothy Ogbotobo, a representative from the House Committee on Human Rights in the National Assembly of Nigeria, in his goodwill message, noted that climate change is not only a local but also a global issue. Hence, immediate solutions must be sought to prevent further devastating damages. He thanked the organizers for inviting the National Assembly because lawmakers must be involved in changing the narrative and ensuring climate justice for the country.
Honourable Abdulmumin Abdulsalam, the Senior Legislative Aide on Environment, Climate Change, and Disaster of the Senate, called for synergy of purpose from CSOs and the Government on the issue of climate justice. As Nigerians prepare for the elections, gubernatorial candidates must be asked about their plans for addressing climate change challenges in the country.
Zainab Umara, Assistant Chief Geologist of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), also commended the organizers of the program and wished participants a fruitful deliberation.
Keynote Presentation- Barrister Chima Williams
According to Barrister Chima Williams, Nigeria has all it takes to address the issue of the climate crisis. Sadly, most of our environmental challenges are caused by the activity and inactivity of the citizenry and the inability of the Government to come up with concrete climate laws and implement them for the benefit of the people. Barrister Williams charged Nigerians to speak up about the damages done to their environment. He urged CSOs and media players to amplify the voices of those at the grassroots and come up with mitigation plans on how these individuals can survive climate change while compelling the government to do the needful. He further charged the Federal Ministry of Environment to collaborate properly with NiMET, NEMA, and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to address climate change challenges in the country. Rather than focusing on palliatives, the government should implement lasting solutions to floods and drought damaging the country.
Keynote Presentation by Barrister Chima Williams
Paper Presentation- Kolawole Banwo
Kolawole Banwo, Programs Director at Water Aid presented a paper on “Climate Change and Flooding Disaster: Evaluating the Loss and Damage to Communities”. According to him, addressing loss and damage in Nigeria requires a high-level political commitment and long-term development planning with long-term disaster management. He added that the plan should be built around homegrown capacity and resources, innovation, and place a premium on human rights to life and community rights to existence. He also urged the government and representatives of the National Assembly of Nigeria to carry out regular evaluations of loss and damage from flood and drought in Nigeria.
Community Intervention Session
Madam Faith Nwadishi, Executive Director of the Centre for Transparency Advocacy, emphasized the need for Climate Action discussion to be contextualized and consider the vulnerable as they are at the most risk in mitigating crises resulting from climate action.
Ambassador Onoja called for a multi-dimensional approach to addressing the climate crisis. He urged the government to consider climate SMART policies, which must be implemented in time and ensure members of the community are induced into governance.
Mr. Gerald Esemonu, Executive Director of Environmental Friendly Initiative admonished stakeholders to focus on education and sensitization as this will raise awareness of people on the climate action crisis. He suggested using the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme to blow the trumpet of the Climate crisis ravaging the world today. NYSC Corps members should be trained and mobilized to sensitize members of the grassroots on these issues.
Mr. Bala Rufai, a representative of the Department of Climate Change, Federal Ministry of Environment, explained the role of the department in carrying out vulnerability mapping. According to him, this mapping is a measure to address loss and damage resulting from climate change in Nigeria.
Panel session at the conference
Summary of the Contributions by Panelists
Comrade Hauwa Mustapha suggested that Nigerians should track the root causes of the climate crisis as it is a global problem. We must be careful while seeking local solutions to a global problem. All must take critical actions to stop the burning of fossil fuels. The government should transform ecological funds into loss and damage funds which must be managed by representatives of the people who have been made vulnerable due to the climate crisis.
Mr. Daniel Okafor called for synergy between Civil Society Organizations and NiMET to educate the masses on impending climate actions.According to Mr. Okafor, NiMET does a lot of forecasting about climate change and actions. These messages have to be simplified and taken to the masses in the language they understand. For this to happen, CSOs must be involved.
A cross-section of participants at the conference
In her contribution, Dr Priscilla Achakpa emphasised the need for language simplicity. In her view, CSOs and the government must simplify the terms ‘climate action’ and ‘climate crisis’ so that communities would understand the implications of some of their activities that impact negatively on the environment.
She also suggested the inclusion of CSOs in the Climate Change Council for the effectiveness of purpose and mandate. Dr Achakpa called for the engagement of policies on climate change, adding that to address the issue of climate, we need to move from the national to the sub-national, engage and build the capacity of leaders at each level for change.
According to Comrade Jaye Gaski, the biggest challenge in addressing loss and damage in Nigeria is the distance between the government and the people. Hence, the government must look for a way to build the trust of the people. They must be ready to collaborate if this menace will be addressed.
At the end of the conference, participants unanimously agreed that the climate change crisis in Nigeria is a national emergency and all are involved in mitigating this menace.
Social Action paid an advocacy visit to the office of the Director General, National Oil Spill Detection Response Agency (NOSDRA) in Abuja on Tuesday, 29th November 2022, as part of efforts to strengthen collaboration with NOSDRA in relevant areas of concern.
The team led by the Policy Advisor of Social Action, Dr Uche Igwe, seeks to consolidate ongoing partnerships in the training of NOSDRA’s staff and members of communities in the sites of oil and gas production and in amplifying the work of the agency in the Niger Delta region and Nigeria at large. Already, Social Action and NOSDRA have collaborated to organise training workshops in the Niger Delta.
Speaking to welcome the delegates, the Director General of NOSDRA, Mr Idris O. Musa, commended Social Action for their efforts in building synergy and advocating for transparency in governance. He recounted similar partnerships with Social Action and the many benefits that resulted from it. According to him, NOSDRA is always open to strategic partnership and collaboration with well-meaning bodies like Social Action.
Mr Idris further decried the environmental state of the Niger Delta region, which has worsened over the past years. In his view, the host communities contribute to the oil spills and contamination of the environment just as much as the multi-nationals involved in extractive activities. He lamented how oil bunkering activities, oil thefts, and illegal refineries have destroyed several mangrove areas of the region and how the people continue to misunderstand NOSDRA. Despite NOSDRA’s efforts in monitoring oil spills and sensitizing the people to the dangers of illegal refineries, some communities view the agency as “attorneys” of multinationals. The multinationals on the other hand tend to have a biased view of the agency and most times refuse to pay for damages caused by their extraction activities even when they are sanctioned by NOSDRA. Hence, NOSDRA has decided to push for an amendment of its agency Act to enable it to enforce the prosecution of erring multinationals on account of damages done to host communities. The Director General implored the civil society organizations operating in the Niger Delta to join forces to push for the amendment of the NOSDRA Act.
Responding, the programmes coordinator of Social Action, Mr Botti Isaac, said Social Action would be happy to bridge the communication gap between NOSDRA and the host communities through a sensitization exercise. Social Action also promised to return with a proposition paper on strategic areas or partnership with the agency.
On the 24th and 25th of November 2022 staff of the Social Development Integrated Centre (Social Action) accompanied Dr Uche Igwe on an assessment visit of the Bori and Diobu Civil Rights Council units in Rivers State.
The visit was to enable the visiting Dr Uche Igwe to have first-hand information on the structure, objectives and functions of the CRC and recommend ways to make the organization more viable and responsive to its core mandate and purpose.
At Bori the members of the CRC outlined their objectives which among other things principally bother on the defence of human rights and the Rule of law especially among the rural community dwellers mostly the victims of Police extortion and brutality. They outlined their encounter with the Police, particularly their campaign against Police extra judicial killings during communal conflicts, and the imposition of illegal taxation and levies on community residents, farmers and market women. They also maintained that a similar approach is adopted for the Army and Civil Defense personnel operating in the area involved in similar activities. They identified the need for more financial assistance to spread and establish other units of the CRCs in various communities in the area to create a wider platform for the organization to spread their activities.
CRC Bori host Dr Uche Igwe accompanied by Dr Prince Ekpere and Barr Arochukwu Ogbonna of Social Action
In Diobu the members of the CRC comprising Diobu (1) and Diobu (2) CRC units on the 25th of November met with staff of Social Action and the visiting Dr Uche Igwe. In the course of discussions, the challenges of the CRC in the area were brought to focus. The CRC members identified the progress made especially in Political and Legal Education for the community people.
They observed that child molestation, rape and defilement of women and children, and domestic violence remain the human rights challenge of the crowded Diobu communities. To mitigate this, they have adopted Political and Legal education to sensitize the community on options or remedies available to victims and procedures to raise complaints with appropriate state authorities for legal action.
They stated that the campaign and advocacy on these issues have been on for years with a rapid response human rights desk established in the area two years ago to facilitate a quick response from the CRC in case of human rights occurrences due to the prevalence of cases.
However, they stated the need for more financial assistance to enable them (CRC) seek legal redress for victims of human rights abuses of less privileged backgrounds especially vulnerable women and children in the communities.
The Nigeria Social Action Camp 2022 held in Port Harcourt was another opportunity for the Civil Rights Council Units Nationwide to organise its National Convention and take stock of its activities, challenges, and progress made in the past year and outline programs of activities for the coming year
A cross-section of members of CRC at the convention
On the 4th day of the Nigeria Social Action Camp Program, members of the Civil Rights Council drawn from across the units of the organization met to discuss and chart a way forward for all CRC units in the country. The convention was specifically to review the activities of the Civil Rights Council across the units and in various states chapters of the C.R.C. The Convention was presided over by the National Coordinator of the C.R.C Arochukwu Paul Ogbonna Esq. and the various state and unit coordinators of the organization.
The convention resolved that all C.R.C Units must maintain a register of Membership from the various units, Identification Card, maintain contact and keep a record of all activities including the creation of a new C.R.C Unit with the zonal offices which is at Abuja for C.R.C Units in the Federal Capital Territory and other states in the Northern parts of the country, Warri Office which is for units in Delta State and Edo State, Port Harcourt Zonal Office which is for Rivers State, Bayelsa State, Akwa-Ibom State, Cross River State, Imo State and Enugu State. It is expected that the particulars of all the units including details of memberships program activities should be logged at the zonal offices periodically.
In line with constitutional provisions the convention took far-reaching decisions and unanimously arrived at the following conclusions:
The ratification of Okpanam Civil Rights Council Units, which were created from Asaba Civil Rights Council.
The dissolution of Delta State State Executives of the Civil Rights Council whose tenure has expired in October 2022.
The setting up of a three-Man Committee to run the affairs of Delta State Civil Rights Council made up of Gabriel Omorere as Chairman, Joy Edibine and Sundrex Ogor as members.
The fixing of a general election for Delta State Civil Rights Council for the 11th of December 2022.
The reconstitution of the leadership (management committee) of Bayelsa, Owerri (Imo State), Akwa-Ibom State and Enugu State Civil Rights Councils Units.
Finally, the conference adjourned for the Nigeria Social Action Camp, 2022 for another National Meeting of the C.R.C
Oxfam Nigeria expressed its impression with the achievements of Social Action in the campaign for social change and strengthening of government systems across the country. This admiration was expressed by Mr Abdulazeez Musa, the Director of Programmes of Oxfam in Nigeria when playing host to Social Action team in Abuja. He also expressed his desire to know more about Social Action, noting that a transformative partnership can be built with Social Action as Oxfam is keen on galvanizing the strength of numbers.
Social Action team led by its Policy Advisor, Dr Uche Igwe, paid an advocacy visit to Oxfam in Nigeria’s office in Abuja on the 17th of November, 2022 to familiarize itself with the workings of Oxfam in Nigeria, review similar intervention areas and seek partnership for the collective good of Nigeria.
Social Action Team, led by Dr Uche Igwe
Earlier, the programmes coordinator of Social Action, Mr Botti Isaac gave a detailed explanation of Social Action’s thematic areas and intervention programs with particular reference to the Climate justice and peacebuilding programs in the North East and public finance accountability programs in the Niger Delta. According to Mr Isaac, there seems to be a lot of overlapping interests between Oxfam in Nigeria and Social Action and with collaboration, more can be achieved.
Madam Peggy Maimaji, Oxfam’s project lead on Together Against Poverty (TAP) and the project coordinator, Mr. Kenneth Akpan also acknowledged Social Action’s consistent campaigns for good and transparent governance across the country. In their view, the organizations may be able to work together around gender-responsive budgets, climate intervention programs and research.
At the end of the meeting, it was agreed that Social Action’s team will systematically seek areas of alignment with Oxfam and schedule other meeting sessions to discuss how both organizations can collaborate on some work areas.
Nigerian youths must organize and ensure solidarity under strong platforms and national movements to reclaim the civic space and enthrone transformative governance. Comrade Jaye Gaskia disclosed this while making his presentations at the Nigeria Social Action Camp in Port Harcourt as a necessary to challenge and contest for power with the ruling class to be able to get a fair deal in government policies and programmes for a better Nigeria.
In his various presentations cutting across topics such as: What Can Be Done To Reclaim The Civic Space, Transformative Governance In 2023 And Beyond: A Need For A Mass Movement And The Role Of Nigerian Youths In Reclaiming Civic Space And Transformative Governance In Nigeria Comrade Jaye Gaskia took a swipe on the decadent Nigeria ruling class bedridden in political corruption and lack of initiatives.
He held that for there to be any meaningful social movement, there must be Organisation (in noun and verbal forms), Mobilization, Leadership, Initiative, Purpose, Politics and Autonomy, in what he tagged “The seven characteristics of movement”.
He explained that a movement needs an organisation (which gives the movement an identity) and organisation as a process, which is to bring interested people together as a body of like-minds. Mobilisation of active citizens must be done by leadership who provides the initiative drawn from a well-articulated and accepted purpose. The autonomy of the leadership (and by extension, the movement) is to ensure that the movement is not hijacked, coerced, intimidated or bought over by anti-progressive elements who are mostly part of the oppressive few.
Drawing an analogy from the recently organized #EndSars protest, and noted that the movement suffered an early aborted fate because it lacked some of the seven characteristics that would have caused it to endure and achieve the desired long-term goals
He insisted that playing at the gallery will not solve the problem rather a hardworking organization and building a strong movement with strong leadership by the youths and other oppressed segments of the society will bring the desired change and transformative governance in Nigeria.
