Oludotun Babayemi

Citizen Engagement and Governance

Posted by Oludotun Babayemi | Sep 9, 2016 | Illustration |

The democratic system of government gives power to citizens to monitor and check government activities, as it relates to the actualization of their promises while campaigning for electorates to cast votes for them. Some of the laws and platforms that have already given power to citizens include: Freedom of Information Act 2011. Also, the Open Data movement that has been advocating for the government of countries to make all data available on the internet. Quite noteworthy again, is Nigeria’s commitment to the Open Government Partnership (OGP) which will set a legal framework for the government (federal, state and local)...

[UPDATE] #FollowTheMoney 36 States and the FCT to receive $1.5 million each to Improve Health Infrastructures

Posted by Oludotun Babayemi | Sep 9, 2016 | Health |

A pregnant woman in labour was seen carried in a wheelbarrow pushed around by her first son. When asked, the son said they had been to one of the primary health care to put to bed but was rejected due to lack of facilities. As they proceed to the next hospital, she delivered in on the way, and the son not knowing what to do, kept the child inside a nylon and continued to push the mother who still had the placenta halfway out her pelvis. A few minutes afterwards, the mother died. (Note: The story was not verified if it was true or false. But was said to have happened in a rural community). Grim statistics had shown that only 20% of Nigeria’s 30,000 primary healthcare facilities are working, due to lack of transparency and accountability, and in a bid to put an end to this, the federal government, with credit from the World Bank had concluded to disburse $1.5million respectively to 36 states, including the Federal Capital territory, for financing of the primary health care system in order to scale up health care service delivery nationwide. Hence, to ensure transparency and accountability, the Follow The Money Team in accordance to the provision of Freedom of Information Act 2011,on June 18, 2016, wrote to the ministry of health, and the ministry of finance, requesting the names of the states...

[UPDATE] #FollowTheMoney: World Bank $100 million Grant for Girl Child Education in 5 Northern States

Posted by Oludotun Babayemi | Sep 2, 2016 | Education |

As 40 per cent of Nigerian children, aged 6-11, do not attend any primary school with the northern region recording the lowest school attendance rate, particularly for girls, the World Bank on March 8, 2016, decided to provide a $100 million grant for Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, and Sokoto. Furthermore, On May 4 2016, it was announced that, from the funds promised by the World Bank, they have committed $21 million to Kaduna State government, while on June 3, 2016, $12 million grant was provided by the Jigawa state government for the training of teachers, renovation of schools, provision of teaching materials and offering scholarship to students. As at this writing, none has been heard about how much was released or committed to Kano, Sokoto, and Katsina. It will be great if these government can come public on how much was committed by the World Bank (if any have been). As this funds concern education, and furthermore, renovation of schools, our team thought it much as a project that interest us, and a Freedom of Information letter to request for a work plan and breakdown of the funds was dispatched from the core team on June 13, 2016, and was delivered by our community reporters to Kaduna, Kano and Jigawa State on July 12, 2016. With this development, the state government is put to test on the much talked...

Basic Education Fund in Niger State – #EmpowerZugurma

Posted by Oludotun Babayemi | Sep 1, 2016 | Illustration |

It’s been 3 months now since we started the campaign – #EmpowerZugurma – 264 school children in Central Primary School, Zugurma, in Mashegu Local Government Area of Niger State who are still learning under tree sheds. Situated on the Yelwa – Mokwa Road the school remains the future of the 255,074 people living in Mashegu. Consequently, two months ago, we requested for the 2016 budget of the Niger State government using the Freedom of Information Act 2011, and the copy of the approved budget was delivered to us on August 19, 2016. That was commendable, for the government of Niger...

The World Bank Save One Million Lives Project

Posted by Oludotun Babayemi | Aug 25, 2016 | Illustration |

Just recently, the federal government had concluded a plan to disburse $1.5million respectively to 36 states, and the Federal Capital territory. These funds are meant for the financing of the primary health care system in order to scale up health care service delivery nationwide. Many times, these funds do not reach communities where primary health centres and systems are to function. It been 7 weeks (with no response) now since we sent an information request letter to the Federal Ministry of Health on the states that have received the funds, and also work plans from the states (if they submitted any)....