Activist Solicits CSOs/Private Sector Collaboration in Anti-corruption War

By Lucky Isibor.

A social crusader and human rights activist, Reverend David Ugolor has called for collaboration between civil society groups and members of the organised private sector in the fight against corruption so as to strengthen governance and deliver development to the citizens. 

Group photograph of participants at the workshop

David Ugolor who is the Executive Director of the Africa Network for Economic and Environment Justice (ANEEJ) made this call in his opening remarks at a two day workshop organised by ANEEJ in collaboration with the United States Agency for International  Development, (USAID) and Palladium on the use of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) Coalition Guide for CSOs and private sector under the Enhancing Anti-corruption and Social Inclusive Reform Initiatives in Nigeria project held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Thursday, 4 August to Friday, 5 August.

According to Rev. David Ugolor who was represented by Mr. Leo Atakpu, the Deputy Executive Director of ANEEJ, the organisation considers the project a very important one as it seeks to promote and engage in anti-corruption policy reforms at both the national and sub-national levels with an ultimate goal of strengthening governance to enhance their ability to deliver development to the citizens.

The UNCAC Coalition Guide is a resource and guide used globally to improve CSOs and private sector engagement for development. Most oil producing communities are faced with development challenges that require private sector intervention. But oftentimes the private sector entities carry out their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to support government effort, yet the communities remain in conflict as many, lack basic amenities. 

While lamenting that oil communities are faced development challenges, Ugolor pointed out that UNCAC Coalition Guide is a veritable resource used globally to improve CSOs and private sector engagement for development just as he undelined the participation of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group at the workshop.

"The UNCAC Coalition Guide is a resource and guide used globally to improve CSOs and private sector engagement for development. Most oil producing communities are faced with development challenges that require private sector intervention. But oftentimes the private sector entities carry out their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to support government effort, yet the communities remain in conflict as many, lack basic amenities. Even though the government has the responsibility to manage public resources, the non-state actors can contribute to addressing corruption issues through prevention and other approaches to ensure that government delivers on its responsibilities to the people. The guide thus, offer a standard and internationally accepted mode of engagement between CSOs and private sector to hold government accountable in the implementation of UNCAC principles to address corruption and strengthen governance.

"It is for these reasons that we are excited with the participation of the National Economic Summit Group (NESG) in this two-day workshop and we hope to learn from their rich experience from the private sector to advance our common course of delivering development to citizens. 

"As you may be aware, Civil Society and Private sector collaboration is encapsulated in the multi-stakeholder approach to development that ushered in two global initiatives—The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and the Open Government Partnership (OGP) both of which Nigeria is signatory and have been performing excellently well.

"We are also happy to welcome the representative of the OGP National Secretariat to this meeting as ANEEJ has over the years, played leading roles in Civil Society engagement of both global initiatives at all levels. That is, local, national and international. 

"A missing link in the work of most civil society organizations in Nigeria has been effective   partnership with the private sector and there is an express need to bridge that gap to accelerate development in all aspects of our development pursuits, hence this workshop".

Ugolor thanked USAID and Palladium for providing ANEEJ Cluster the grant to undertake the project at a very critical time of the nation’s democratic match. 

In her remarks,  Mrs Obialunanma Nnaobi-Ayodele, the Executive Director of Meluibe Foundation and Incoming Civil Society Co-chair, Open Government Partner, (OGP) who represented OGP at the workshop, stated that engagement and collaboration of CSOs with the private sector is very critical in the fight against corruption as most public funds that end up in private pockets go through the private sector.

According to her, "private sector accountability is something we are passionate about at the OGP and one of the reasons for this is that illicit financial flows, that is when we talk about public funds going into the wrong pockets, happen more often than not through the active collusion of the private sector".

  Participants at the workshop were drawn from community-based organizations in host communities - including socially excluded groups,  professional groups  and private sector organisations.