ASHENEWS reports that the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) has selected 20 successful fellows for its “Strengthening Public Accountability for Results and Knowledge (SPARK 2) Project”.
The Project, which is executed with the support of the International Budget Partnerships (IBP), aims to examine factors contributing to the appalling state of maternal healthcare in Nigeria, despite government intervention, and systemic issues affecting the agricultural production by smallholder women farmers through a systems-level approach.
The announcement which was contained in a press release signed by the Programs Officer, Ayisat Abiona stated that the project would look at these issues from the perspective of the intersectionality of gender with focus on Oyo, Anambra, Niger, Jigawa, Nasarawa, Kano and Ogun States.
“For the agriculture sector reporting, our focus is on the daunting challenges that smallholder women farmers face in terms of lack of access to resources credit, grants, farm inputs, land, and information needed for their agricultural business. They frequently lack the resources or capital to farm at a commercially viable scale and have little motivation to do more than is necessary for them to make a living.
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“This is mostly due to their restricted access to farmlands, markets, loans, credit and grants, support services and inputs, all of which would have allowed them to boost their output and sales volumes. For the agriculture sector reporting, the focal states are Anambra, Jigawa, Nasarawa, Niger, and Oyo.
“For the health sector reporting, we are concentrating on the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) and the Midwives Service Scheme (MSS), two key interventions of the government in the Nigerian health sector which have been confronted with numerous challenges, particularly because of inadequate budgetary allocations, misappropriation of funds and poor monitoring system.”.
Abiona explained that despite the launching of several reform measures to address various challenges in the health sector by the government, basic healthcare services continue to elude ordinary Nigerians, particularly those who live in rural areas.
“The Nigerian healthcare delivery system is so unreliable that most influential people, including political leaders and even Presidents, abandon it and travel abroad for medical treatment. Our focal states for the health sector reporting are Anambra, Kano, Niger, Ogun and Oyo”, the statement read.
The project is expected to build the capacity of journalists to hold power bearers, policymakers, and implementers accountable by publishing focused special and investigative reports and documentaries around Primary Healthcare centres, Ward Development Committees, and across commodity groups within SWOFON networks in the focal states to report and investigate the health and agriculture sectors.
The ICIR is an independent, non–profit media organisation that aims to promote good governance in Nigeria through robust investigative, data-driven reporting. The organization aims to build a culture of watchdog reporting for the media in Nigeria.
The list of the successful candidates and their respective organizations include:
- Vincent Yusuf, Daily Trust
- John Adams, The Sun Newspaper
- Justina Asishana, Nation
- Bawas Khadija Ishaq, Liberty TV
- Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim, Abubakar Rimi TV
- Ibukun Emiola, NAN
- Akinwale Aboluwade, Oyo Reporters
- Emma Elekwa, The Nation
- Ikenna Obianeri, Punch
- Alfred Ajayi, FRCN
- Nurudeen Akewushola, ICIR
- Lawrence Nwimo, Ikenga Online
- Dan Atori, New Telegraph
- Ibrahim Hamzat Abaga, Transcontinental Times
- Omoniyi Busuyi Kolawole, Cool Fm, Wazobia Fm, Arewa Radio, Kano
- Stephen Enoch, Stallion Times
- Oladejo Adebayo, Pharmanews
- Royal Ibeh, Leadership Newspaper
- Agboluaje Rotimi, The Guardian
- Ojo Isaac Olufemi, Splash FM
