From 1960 till date, approximately US$400 billion has been siphoned by corrupt Nigerian government officials. Similarly, the country also has great challenges in ensuring open government, outstandingly in the area of public finance management. Public finance has been hugely mismanaged and public records are mostly inaccessible. In furtherance, citizen participation in governance has been so impecunious, primarily because of secrecy in government’s operation, the weak social contract in the country, and the high-handedness of different tiers and levels of the Nigerian government.
One of the sectors that have a great share in this open government deficit is the tertiary education sector. Most of these tertiary institutions do not publish the breakdown and full copies of their budgets in public domain except the aggregates sent to the Ministry of Education. They have been much ambiguities and secrecy in the management of public finance, by tertiary education institutional management. The public often lacks knowledge of what they make in terms of revenues and how they implement their budget. This has continued over time, providing a scenario for rampant corruption, poor governance, and imperiling access to quality educational facilities for students to learn with.
To counter this trend, Basic Rights Watch created the program, Transparency Alert (TA), to proselytize and ensure open financial government, citizen participation and discourage corruption in the management of public finance in federal universities through tracking the implementation of capital funds and advocacy. Our ultimate goal through the TA Program is to amplify citizen participation in federal university capital spending.
Our Current Campaigns:
Tracking NGN 213 billion TETFUND Intervention Fund to Tertiary Education Institutions
Around 21 February 2017, we learnt of the approval by President Muhammadu Buhari for the disbursement of over NGN 213 billion intervention fund to public tertiary education institutions. The stated amount was budgeted in 2016 to be released and utilized in 2017. From the aforementioned amount, each Federal University gets NGN 1.009 billion. We started following up on the receipt of the fund by the institutions, requesting access to the project proposals of the universities and providing oversight over the implementation of the intervention: Read More
Tracking NGN 11.6 Million for Conference Attendance at the University of Abuja, Abuja
Our attention has been drawn to the fact that the University of Abuja has received NGN 11.6 Million for Conference Attendance of its staffers as part of the TetFund 2016 Intervention to the University. We have commenced tracking of this while creating awareness for effective public oversight. Read More
Tracking NGN 1.5 Billion for Physical Project Intervention at the Ibrahim Babangida University, Niger State
After several correspondences with Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, its management availed us data on the implementation of NGN 1.5 Billion for several of its projects under merged 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 TetFund Interventions. This has been tendered with deadline for the submission of bids on 10 November 2017. Breakdown of this include. Read More
Tracking NGN 64.8 Million for Staff Training and Development at Federal University Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State.
Federal University Birnin Kebbi as part of its 2016 TetFund Intervention has already received NGN 64 Million for staff training and development. The University has also availed us a list of its staffers, budgets for their further studies, programme of training, commencement date, list of academic institutions for future studies etc. We have commenced tracking of this while creating awareness for effective public oversight. Read More
Tracking NGN 565 Million for the Construction of Faculty of Environmental Sciences Complex – Phase 1 at Nasarawa State University, Nasarawa State.
We have received and examined the project proposal of Nasarawa State University for the implementation of their NGN 1.009 Billion TetFund 2016 Intervention. In this light, we have commenced tracking NGN 565 Million for the Construction of Faculty of Environmental Sciences Complex – Phase 1. The breakdown of this project include. Read More
Tracking NGN 84 Million for Library Development at Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, Katsina State
We have received the project proposal of Umaru Musa Yar’adua University for the implementation of their 2016 TetFund Intervention of NGN 1.009 Billion. After analysing the project proposal, we have commenced tracking NGN 84 Million for Library Development. The fund is for the procurement of books in several disciplines, journals, e-books, e-journals etc.
We call on the university to provide procurement data of this project for effective tracking and oversight. Tune in for more details. Read More
Tracking NGN 114 Million for the Construction and Furnishing of 2NR Lecture Halls and Offices for Faculty of Education at Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, Katsina State.
We have received the project proposal of Umaru Musa Yar’adua University for the implementation of their 2016 TetFund Intervention of NGN 1.009 Billion. After analysing the project proposal, we have commenced tracking the Construction and Furnishing of 2NR Lecture Halls and Offices for Faculty of Education at NGN 114 Million. The project comprises of 2nr large classrooms, at least 150 seat capacity each and 12 nr additional offices for academic staff. Read More
Tracking NGN 74.8 Million for Construction of Phase 1 of Entrepreneurship Development Centre at the University of Port-Harcourt, Rivers State
After several correspondences with the management of the University of Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, they availed us data on the Construction of Phase 1 of Entrepreneurship Development Centre at the University comprising of 2Nr Office Blocks, 2Nr 50-Capacity Multipurpose Workshops (Including office, store, and sanitary facilities) and 1Nr 100 Capacity Hall. This was from the Year 2011 and 2014 Merged TetFund Enterpreneurship Intervention of the University. We have started tracking these projects through mobilizing the university community to provide oversight over their implementation. TetFund Board of Trustees has approved NGN 74.8 Million for the projects. The projects are to be completed by May 2018. Read More