The #FollowTheMoney (FTM) Team examined the 2016 Federal Ministry of Water Resources’ Appropriation. It was found out that N12.8 million ($41,290) was budgeted for the completion of a borehole project at Umudike Village, Oraeri, in Aguata LGA in Anambra State, with the implementation agency being the Anambra Imo River Basin Development Authority. The borehole project has been ongoing for over a decade, and the challenge has been that many contractors were unable to get water from the ground. The last contractor was able to get water from the ground in 2014, the year was also the last time any government official paid a visit to the site. If the project gets completed, about 5,000 rural community members would have access to improved water supply so as to avoid contacting waterborne diseases.

We have initiated the #WaterUmudike campaign to track the implementation of the N12.8 million. Through this campaign, we call on all concerned public and private agencies, especially the Anambra Imo River Basin Authority to uphold the public interest through the accountable and transparent management of the funds that have been released for the completion of the borehole. We invite the public to get involved in the Campaign today. Help us follow the money to ensure that the borehole is completed for the local community members that do not have access to clean water.

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST SENT TO KEY STAKEHOLDERS

8 February 2017: Following the revelations we got from tracking the fund, we immediately sent out FOI request to AIRBDA to know what was happening to the N12.8 million for the water project and why no sort of implementation has started. Find the FOI request here.

NO SORT OF IMPLEMENTATION GOING ON AT THE WATER PROJECT SITE

7 February 2017: The FTM team embarked on an on-site visitation to Umudike, Oraeri to assess the implementation of the N12.8 water project. It was found out that nothing has been done there – No contractor, No personnel from AIRBDA has been around since 2016.