HOW 9.2 BILLION NGN (US$ 4.8 MILLION ) IS BEING SPENT ON 750,000 CLEAN COOKSTOVES AND 18,000 WONDERBAGS FOR RURAL WOMEN

Follow The Money to provide Rural #WomenCookstoves

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OUTCOME

 

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follow32 THE STORY OF #WomenCookstoves

On Tuesday, November 26, 2014, the Nigerian government approved NGN9, 287,250,000.00 for the distribution of 750, 000 Clean Cook Stoves and 18,000 Wonder bags to rural women, in a bid to stop the depletion of forest resources caused by indiscriminate felling of trees.

The approval followed a memo presented by the Minister of Environment, Laurentia Mallam, at the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting with the Federal Government.

The council unanimously ratified the President’s anticipatory approval for the contract in favours of Messrs Integra Renewable Energy Services Limited in the sum of nine billion, eighty seven million, two hundred and fifty thousand naira only (NGN9, 287,250,000.00) inclusive of VAT, with a delivery period of 12 weeks.

The Minister of Environment said that in distributing the stoves and wonderbags, women who register and buy fertiliser through the e-wallet system will be considered first. She said about two million women are currently on that database and the stoves will be distributed in batches to them.

Accountability and Transparency in spending
According to the World Health Organization, 95,300 Nigerians especially women die of indoor air pollution yearly, as a result of cooking using firewood. As such clean cooking technologies is introduced by government and other stakeholders. It is not news that previous funds provided by the Government (Federal, State and Local) for purchase of clean cooking technologies disappeared before they reach beneficiaries. This must not happen. The rural women of Nigeria, as well as Nigerian tax payers deserve accountability in their public spending.

Follow the Money campaign calls on all public agencies to uphold the public interest through accountable and transparent management of these funds. We invite the public to get involved in the Campaign today. Help us follow the money to provide Clean Cookstoves for rural women in Nigeria. This would help save millions of lives, money, and our environment.

follow32 CONTROVERSY AGAINST THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONTRACTOR STALLS DISTRIBUTION OF COOKSTOVE

After several press releases and stakeholder meetings, the Ministry of Environment decided to stall the purchase of the clean cookstoves, as they claim the contractor could not deliver within the space of time given.

 

follow32“CLEAN COOKSTOVES” NOW AVAILABLE AT THE VELODROME OF THE NATIONAL STADIUM

As disclosed to us at the stakeholders meeting by the contractor, that they now have clean cookstoves at the Velodrome of the National Stadium in Abuja. On Monday, 18 May the team went on an on-site check to confirm the clean cookstoves. The team estimated the number of available stoves to be 45,000!

 

follow32 NGN 1,253,778,750 RELEASED TO INTEGRA RENEWABLE ENERGY SERVICES LIMITED

As a response to our FOIA Request, the contractor confirmed to us that a total amount of NGN 1.2 billion was released to them by the Ministry of Environment. On the contract document, they advised that we direct the letter to the Ministry of Environment as there is a “confidentiality clause” that precludes them from disclosing the content.

 

follow32 REQUEST FOR INFORMATION LETTERS SENT TO KEY STAKEHOLDERS ON #WOMENCOOKSTOVES

As agreed at the stakeholders meeting on April 16, 2015, request for information letters were written and sent to the contractor to affirm the exact amount gotten and the contract document; sent to the Ministry of Environment again to ask for amount released to their office, beneficiaries, and work plan; likewise to the Ecological Fund Office on how much was released; and to the Office of the Secretary to the Federation

#FOIA Letter to Integra Renewable Energy
#FOIA Letter to the Ministry of Environment
#FOIA Letter to the Ecological Fund Office
#FOIA Letter to the Office of the Secretary to the Federal Government

follow32 CONTRACTOR CONFIRMS 15% OF FUNDS HAVE BEEN ADVANCED TO INTEGRA RENEWABLE ENERGY

On April 16, We had the second stakeholders meeting on #WomenCookstoves and the contractor confirmed they just got an advance of 15% of the 9.2 billion that was approved for the procurement and distribution of the clean cookstoves. He mentioned that their scope of work will only be procurement, as such wouldn’t be able to give updates on distribution mechanism. He estimated the number of clean cookstoves to arrive the Valedrome to be 200,000

[DOWNLOAD] Minutes of 2nd Stakeholders Meeting

follow32 GOVERNMENT REVERTS TO DISTRIBUTING #WOMENCOOKSTOVES THROUGH LOCAL NGOs

As during the stakeholders meeting we already faulted the distribution mechanism for the clean cookstoves, the ministry of environment has reverted to using religious institutions and rural women organizations instead of the earlier plan that state governors wives and local gorvenment institutions will be used as distribution channels.

follow32 15% OF FUNDS MEANT FOR #WOMENCOOKSTOVES RELEASED

Friday, March 5, 2015: It came to our notice that only 15% of the 9.2 Billion Naira will be released to the contractor that is responsible for assembling the 750,000 Clean Cookstoves and 18,000 Wonderbags. Furthermore, the clean cookstoves to be provided now include Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPGs) and Wood Cook stoves. The Assembly point will also be the at the premises of the National Stadium in Abuja,

follow32 STAKEHOLDERS FAULT DISTRIBUTION MECHANISM FOR #WOMENCOOKSTOVES

Tuesday, March 3, 2015: We organized a stakeholders meeting with participants totalling 40. Although the Monistry of Environment was absent at this meeting, all stakeholders stated clearly that the #WomenCookstoves should not be distributed using state government wives, as it might go into oblivion [DOWNLOAD] Minutes of Meeting

[DOWNLOAD] Minutes of First Stakeholders Meeting

follow32 MINISTER RESPONDS TO #WomenCookstoves AT STAKEHOLDER CONFERENCE

January 26, 2015: As part of our stakeholders engagement, the Minister of Environment responded to the state of the 9.2 billion released to procure and distribute clean cookstoves to rural women during the question and answer session of the Nigeria Alliance for Clean Cookstoves which the FTM team is part of. “We are about signing contracts” said Madam Laurentia Mallam, the Honourable Minister of Environment. Nevertheless, we wait for their response to our FOIA letter

 

follow32 CONTRACTOR RESPONDS TO OUR REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

January 26, 2015: Messrs Integra Renewable Energy responded to our FOIA induced request for information letter stating categorically that they are yet to sign a contract with the government and no funds have been released to them with regards the #WomenCookstoves, reiterating their commitment to the project, and ensuring Nigerians that they will deliver as stated in their award letter [Find response letter in Link]

[FOIA] Response from Messrs Integra Renewable Energy

follow32 REQUEST FOR INFORMATION SENT TO CONCERNED ORGANIZATIONS

January 14, 2015: The Follow The Money Team submitted a request for information letter to Two Federal Ministries – Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Special Duties. Likewise the letter was sent to Messrs Integra Renewable Energy Services Limited. We hope that before 7 days stipulated by the Freedom of Information act, they will respond. Please view acknowledged copies of the letter.

[FOI] Federal Ministry of Environment
[FOI] Federal Ministry of Special Duties
[FOI] Messrs Integra Renewable Energy Services Limited

 

follow32 STORIES IN THE NEWS

(Premium Times) Nigeria to distribute over a million Clean Cook Stoves free to citizens
(Business Day) Nigeria to distribute over a million Clean Cook Stoves free to citizens
(Guardian) FEC Okays N9.3b stoves, others for national clean cooking scheme
(Daily Independent) FG buys N9b stoves for rural women
(Voice of Nigeria) Civil society organisations call for work plan on Clean Cookstove project

(Punch) NGO Plans to monitor N9.2 billion stove funds disbursement
(Leadership Newspaper) NGO to Monitor N9.2bn Clean Cookstove Fund Disbursement

(Federal Government of Nigeria State House) FEC okays N9.3b stoves, others for national clean cooking scheme