Civil Societies Organisations (CSO) tracking financier donations aimed at addressing the impacts of Covid-19, has seek for more government collaboration among African countries in the area of transparency and proper accountability of funds donated to them.
This was part of the key highlights of a one day program in Lagos, organized by Budgit and CODE, under the umbrella of Covid-19 Transparency And Accountability Project (CTAP), with the topic: “Healthcare Accountability, Beyond Covid-19.
Speaking at the program, Budgit Senior Research Analyst, Vahyala Kwaga noted that transparency and accountability is still a major problem among government agencies. Pointing out that in Nigeria, Ministerial Departments and Agencies of government were not publishing how funds they collected was spends.
Noting that where some state government published their quarterly figures, it was due to incentives that they received under the World Bank program known as SFTAS, “States disclosed more quarterly COVID-19 implementation reports due to SFTAS incentives” he added.
However, on the state of Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) and vaccine distribution in Nigeria, Pearl Etuk, Project Assistant at the CODE, presentation reveals the deplorable situation of some Primary Healthcare Centre in Nigeria and challenges people are facing as government clamour for vaccination.
According to her, the campaign sought to build the capacity of citizens in order to monitor the state of PHCs and vaccine storage, distribution, and handling in 15 states and monitor and advocate for a transparent and inclusive approach in the distribution of COVID-19 Vaccines in Nigeria.
Towards CTAP phase two, they recommends that awareness on the need for vaccines in Africa and that African governments should ensure transparency and accountability in the deployment of vaccines as well as their equitable distribution to more remote communities.
In his remarks, Hamzat Lawal, Chief Executive at CODE, noted that CSO advocacy in making sure that government makes public the implementation plan of procurement and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines has led to partnering with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).
On his part, Oluseun Onigbinde, Director at Budgit, gave a run down of the journey so far, pointing out that the next phase which is going to take two years will commence next year, while appealing to government agencies not to see the Civil Society Organisations as antagonist.
