JOURNALIST TRAINED ON PROMOTING ACCOUNTABILITY, GOOD GOVERNANCE AND STRENGTHEN ANTI-CORRUPTION EFFORTS

Special Report: UCHE NDEKE

The International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) has trained journalists from the South East and North West parts of the country on Open Contract reporting. The six-day training, which was held through online Webinar, had participants drawn from various media houses in the two geopolitical zones of the country.

The Senior Programme Officer for ICIR, Mrs. Rosemary Olufemi, said the objective of the training was to enhance the capacity of the media to understand public procurement processes and aggressively report budgetary and procurement related corruption. According to Mrs. Olufemi, this is with a view to promoting accountability,  transparency and good governance as well as strengthening anti-corruption efforts.

In a paper presentation entitled “Improving Accountability and Transparency in Public Procurement in Nigeria,”  a resource person, Mr Onyekachi Chukwu, noted that Public procurement often took up to seventy percent of the nation’s budget, hence the need for those handling it to be upright and avoid corrupt practices.

The Executive Director International Centre For Investigative Reporting,  Mr. Dayo Aiyetan, in his presentation, said the major responsibility of an   investigative reporter was to hold government, its agencies and officials  accountable.

He called on journalists to have passion, initiative and self-discipline, good research skills and patience while carrying out investigative reports.

The International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) had earlier in 2020 announced list of one hundred and eight  successful journalists across the six geo political zones of the country for a two year Open  Contracting Reporting, sponsored by Mac Arthur Foundation and aimed at building capacity of Nigerian Journalists. Among the beneficiaries of the programme is Radio Nigeria’s Uche Ndeke.