The Wadata Media and Advocacy Centre (WAMAC), a prominent anti-corruption organization, has applauded the Ebonyi State Government for its strong enforcement of the ban on toll and levy collections from petty traders in local markets. This comes in the wake of the recent arrest of five fraudulent revenue agents, a move WAMAC hails as a significant step in the fight against extortion. The organization is now urging the government to ensure the swift prosecution of those involved to deter similar illegal activities. The ban, first announced by Governor Francis Nwifuru on January 30, 2024, was intended to reduce the financial strain on petty traders by putting an end to unauthorized collections. These tolls and levies, often extracted by illegal revenue agents, have long been a source of hardship for traders, many of whom struggle to make ends meet. WAMAC, with the support of the MacArthur Foundation, has been a key player in Nigeria’s push for good governance and anti-corruption reforms. Through its work, the organization has trained journalists and co-produced investigative radio programs aimed at exposing corruption across the country’s six geopolitical zones. Two of these programs, “Nnyopu” (in Igbo) and “Eagle Eye” (in Pidgin), have been airing on Radio Nigeria Unity FM in Abakaliki and are credited with shedding light on the toll collection scandal in Ebonyi State. In February 2024, investigative reports produced by these programs revealed how unscrupulous agents continued to defy the governor’s directive, illegally collecting levies from petty traders in the state capital, Abakaliki. These revelations prompted the Ebonyi State Board of Internal Revenue to act swiftly. By March 2024, officials had launched a series of crackdowns, targeting markets such as Kpirikpiri and the International Market in Abakaliki. The raids brought much-needed relief to traders, as several illegal agents abandoned their posts and fled. In a more recent raid at the International Market, the state revenue officials arrested five fake revenue agents who had been terrorizing traders by extorting them under the guise of toll collection. This latest success has been widely celebrated by traders and advocates for market reform. In a Press Release signed by the Executive Director, Zubair Abdurra’uf Idris, WAMAC acclaimed the government’s efforts to alleviate the burdens faced by petty traders but stressed the need for sustained action. “While we commend the Ebonyi State Government for its efforts to protect vulnerable traders, there is a need for a more permanent solution,” Idris said. “We urge the government to establish a dedicated taskforce that will patrol the markets daily. This will prevent illegal toll collections and ensure that offenders are held accountable.” WAMAC argues that the creation of a dedicated taskforce, rather than relying on periodic raids, would offer more consistent protection for traders and curb the illegal activities of fraudulent agents. As the situation unfolds, many are hopeful that the government will continue to take decisive action to safeguard the livelihoods of Ebonyi’s traders, who have long suffered at the hands of corrupt individuals posing as legitimate revenue collectors.

Anti-corruption crusader, Wadata Media and Advocacy Centre (WAMAC) has stepped up its ongoing initiatives to engage local communities in Nigeria’s anti-corruption drive, fostering the values of transparency and integrity at the grassroots level. As part of its activities for the third quarter of 2024, WAMAC organized a Townhall Meeting in Yola, the capital of Adamawa State, North East of Nigeria.  The programme with support from the MacArthur Foundation paid attention to “Safeguarding Public Infrastructure Against Corrupt Practices: The Role of the Community”. The event drew participants from various sectors, including media professionals, civil society organizations, community-based organizations, religious and community leaders, and representatives from anti-corruption other government agencies. Zubair Abdurra’uf, Executive Director of WAMAC raised concerns about the severe consequences of corruption in public infrastructure which could lead to wasted resources, safety hazards, and eroding public trust in the government. According to Idris, corrupt practices such as embezzlement, bribery, nepotism, and cronyism often result in poorly constructed projects, inadequate maintenance, and inefficient services.   He, however, encouraged a community-driven approach to protecting public infrastructure from corruption.  “By working together, we can prevent corruption and ensure that our public infrastructure serves the public interest. “To achieve this, we must prioritize transparency and accountability, engage in active citizenship, support whistleblowers and reporting mechanisms, promote ethical leadership and governance, and build a culture of integrity,” Idris said The call for greater community participation in safeguarding infrastructure reflects a growing consensus that tackling corruption at the grassroots level is essential for Nigeria’s continued development. Prof. Bashir Aliyu in his speech as the guest speaker acknowledged the part played by public infrastructure towards facilitating economic development of the country. The Director, Health, Safety, and Environment, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board/Modibbo Adama University of Technology Yola, advised that community involvement should include tracking threats to the community and coordinating with local law enforcement agents to supervise and secure the infrastructure. “The already provided infrastructure needs to be safeguarded and looked after to allow new development take place. “Government expenditure on infrastructure is huge. Budgetary provisions for expansion, maintenance and upgrade are also high. Therefore, safeguarding them against any form of corruption will help in extending their lifespan, Safety etc. it will also free up additional revenues generated for other public good.” Prof. Aliyu explained.  The Town Hall participants gave a strong commitment to stepping up the fight against corruption through collaborative efforts between the government, community members, and institutions.  The meeting, which aimed to strengthen the fight against corruption at the grassroots level, concluded with several key resolutions aimed at fostering community involvement in safeguarding public resources. Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) The Town Hall solicited for the inclusion of PWDs in the fight against corruption, recognizing that their participation would help achieve greater societal development. Accountability, Good Governance and Collective Responsibility in Fighting Corruption  Participants expressed strong disapproval of community complicity in aiding and abetting corruption.  They urged citizens to take a stand and actively prevent corruption to secure a brighter future for coming generations. The Town Hall emphasized the need for citizens to demand accountability from leaders and shun the glorification of individuals exposed for corrupt practices.  Attendees called for a shift in public attitudes towards corruption, urging effective management of public resources for the greater good. Landlords and property agents were also encouraged to contribute to reducing “social corruption” by protecting tenants’ rights. The participants reaffirmed that promoting good governance is the collective responsibility of all Nigerians and urged communities to collaborate with security agencies by providing credible intelligence and forming community watch groups to help protect public infrastructure. They also called for thorough scrutiny of budget allocations and their implementation, particularly in infrastructure maintenance, expansion, and upgrade to reduce the financial burden on governments. Speedy Trials and Whistleblowing  The meeting advocated for faster prosecution of corruption cases in Nigeria. They encouraged communities to monitor and report wrongdoings in project execution using whistleblowing mechanisms provided by anti-corruption agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and ICPC. Also, participants talked about the need to strengthen institutional capacity, foster greater cooperation among stakeholders, and utilize the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) to hold public officials accountable. Local Language Advocacy WAMAC partners with Radio Nigeria Fombina FM Radio in the state to co-produce an investigative anti-corruption programme in Fulfude, and this earned them a commendation, with the funder, the MacArthur Foundation also. The Centre co-produces programmes with twelve radio stations in the six geo-political zones of Nigeria in seven local languages, but the Town Hall participants called for the expansion of anti-corruption campaigns into other Nigerian languages to reach a wider audience.  

Education stakeholders in Ebonyi State are uniting their voices in a call for a summit to confront and resolve pressing issues in the sector.  This follows a Town Hall Meeting by anticorruption crusader, Wadata Media and Advocacy Centre, WAMAC on the issue of  “TEACHER ABSENTEEISM IN EBONYI STATE’S PUBLIC SCHOOLS: ROLE OF COMMUNITIES IN ADDRESSING THE MENACE” The programme, with the support of MacArthur Foundation, took place in Ebonyi State capital, Abakiliki on the 11th of May 2024. How it affects the Students For some students from Abakaliki High School and Urban Model Secondary School present at the Town Hall, the issue of teacher absenteeism is of great concern to them. Vivian Nwokporo and Christian Amiara explained that when a teacher is not showing up for class at the basic education level, many children tend to lack engagement, and focus, thereby missing opportunities to learn. This missed learning also has its long term consequences. Issues Needing Attention The theme for the discussion was based on investigative production by WAMAC’s partner radio station, Radio Nigeria, Unity FM 101.5, Abakiliki, which brought to the fore issues of teacher absenteeism in the state.  Their co-produced program with WAMAC in local languages of lgbo and Pidgin – “Nnyopu” and “Eagle Eye”, investigated the recurring allegations of teacher absenteeism. A revealing clip from the program further exposed the severity of the issue. “Nnyopu visited two schools in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State and the observations confirmed that some teachers do not go to school. One of them is Community Junior Secondary School Nkalagu, which has a total of eighteen teachers but only three teachers were in the school at eleven o’clock in the morning.” “A look at the time book reveals that five teachers had signed their names on the register but were not there alongside the Principal. “ “A further look at their attendance the previous days showed that the highest attendance they had recorded since the new term commenced on the 8th of January this year is nine teachers on a particular day but with an average attendance of five per day.” The scenario was also reported to be similar to the situation at Community Junior Secondary School Umuhali, which has eight teachers but at the time Nnyopu visited only two teachers were in school. Although a teacher explained that most of his colleagues had genuine reasons for their non-availability at the time, there were few who actually absent themselves from duty often, and without due process followed. WAMAC Anticorruption Stand Executive Director of WAMAC, Zubair Abdurra’uf Idris urged various communities to own the fight against corruption and demand for accountability. “The task of fighting Corruption is not limited to anti-corruption bodies alone, civil societies as well as community organizations and individuals have greater role to play to minimize the cankerworm of corruption, either we do it or we perish.” You Can Also Read: Cultural Accountability and Collective Responsibility Against Corruption In the last five years, WAMAC with the support of McArthur Foundation has embarked on advocacy through investigative reporting and programmes on alleged corruption, accountability and the promotion of good governance in partnership with 12 radio stations across the six geo-political zones in Nigeria, in local languages.  Idris, therefore, urged community leaders and Non-Governmental Organizations to cooperate with the journalists in the production of investigative reports on the fight against corruption. “Community members and radio listeners will be engaged in anti-corruption dialogue and discourse to achieve maximum result. While communities are obliged to own the fight against corruption. Equally, we urge the public, journalists and CSOs to make use of the Freedom of Information Act which ensures participatory democracy, promotion of transparency and accountability in the affairs of government.”  WAMAC executive director said. The Perspective of an Educationist Greg Esheya, the guest lecturer at the Town Hall is the Head of Department, Educational Foundations, Ebonyi State College of Education, Ikwo. Eshaya affirms that to nip absenteeism and other teacher-student related-ills in the system, education authorities in the state should effectively engage parents and community members to take ownership of the schools in their environments “They can rally community and religious leaders, PTA bodies, youth and women organizations as watch-dogs and advocacy groups for best practices in our public schools.”   “PTA unions must be strengthened to play active roles in discipline among teachers and students. Old boys and girls of various schools must take greater interest in what happens in their alma mater to stem the tide of indiscipline among teachers and students.” The educationist, however, said that overcrowded classrooms, lack of basic items such as text books, writing materials, desks, tables, “can be frustrating enough to cause absenteeism and tardiness”, and as such, improving the teaching environment and reward is necessary. “Agencies of education and education supervisors should cultivate the habit of taking the needs of teachers into view during field supervision exercises. Merely checking lesson notes and attendance registers does not explain reasons for absenteeism.“ Esheya said  Communiqué Critical stakeholders at the Town Hall include officials of Ebonyi State Basic and Tertiary Education, All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools, students, tertiary educations lecturers, local government chairmen, The Nigerian Police Force, the Media, Civil Society Organizations, Persons with Disabilities, Market Women Association, Community Based Organizations, and Faith Based Organizations After presentations and discussions on the theme of the Town Hall Meeting, some resolutions were made to fast-track the Fight Against Corruption and promote Good Governance through Community Participation   The Town Hall Meeting in Ebonyi State, described ‘Absenteeism of Teachers in Public Schools’ as a disaster and threat to education development in the state and called for empowerment of teachers through grants to boost their morale and enhance their productivity to teach in classrooms Lack of effective supervision and monitoring of schools and teachers in Ebonyi state was also identified as reasons for absenteeism of teachers in classrooms and called on the State Universal Education Board and Secondary Education Board to improve mechanism for learning and stop

A traditional Ruler in  Kano, North West Nigeria, Zannan Kano, Alh. Tijjani Ado Bayero has joined calls for citizens to always speak with one voice against corruption, saying its consequences are far-reaching.   Ado Bayero’s call came after anti-corruption crusader, Wadata Media and Advocacy Centre, (WAMAC) convened a Town Hall Meeting in the heart of Kano city. WAMAC’s anticorruption train with funding from MacArthur Foundation, has been moving around the country’s six geo-political zones for more than four years and arrived in Kano again in April 2024.  The Town Hall focused on “Harnessing Collective Action Against Corruption: Strengthening Public Perception and Attitudes.” WAMAC’s partner, Freedom Radio Kano, 99.5, broadcasts investigative stories, one of which had the non-teaching trade union of the state university speaking up against corruption in the institution, resulting in the state government setting up an investigative panel that exposed alleged corrupt practices by the institution’s leadership. Read More: WAMAC’s Moving Train on Anti-Corruption Brings Bottom-Up Approach to Kwara Executive Director of WAMAC, Zubair Abdurra’uf Idris in his opening remark noted that  “lack of accountability, misconnect and mistrust among citizens and their leaders whether politicians or traditional institutions has generated a lot of hardship, hunger, diseases and further insecurity in the country today.” He raised the issue about behaviours of the leadership and elites igniting corrupt tendencies in society. “Few weeks ago many people thronged to the streets carrying placards for lack of basic necessities and hunger.”  “Despite all these protests, only few governments roll out palliative measures to ameliorate the suffering of the masses. Our Honourables and Distinguished members of the legislative arm of government both at the state and national level, despite the economic meltdown are still conducting themselves in a flamboyant life that outstrips their earnings. These behaviors amid economic reality, no doubt stimulate anger and disobedience by the larger society.” the WAMACThe Executive Director emphasized the transformative potential of collective action in combating corruption in Nigeria “Let us join hands to fight and reduce the menace of corruption. This task is not limited to anti-Corruption agencies, we too can make the change to the ugly narratives for the benefit of the future generation.“ Idris urged. Corruption Goes Beyond Legislation Guest Speaker, Prof. Hajara Umar Sanda, Faculty of Communication, Bayero University, Kano, further made it clear that the battle against corruption transcends mere legislative measures and law enforcement, underscoring the indispensable role of societal values and ethical conduct. Prof.  Umar Sanda shared insights into the factors influencing public tolerance of corruption, citing economic, social, and political attitudes of the populace. She acknowledged the role of cultural norms and values in shaping corruption but stressed the importance of accountability in governance.   “Societal inequality, impunity of corrupt individuals, and cultural norms influence public tolerance of corruption” she said. Advantages of Collective Action The Guest Speaker explained that despite the situation, unified action brings about sustainable efforts “Collective action ensures long-term, self-sustaining anti-corruption measures by engaging all stakeholders” “It promotes an environment where honesty and ethical conduct become societal norms.” Prof. Sanda said. Communiqué  In a bold move, the Town Hall Participants from all walks of life, with a shared concern about corruption called for the creation of incentives for whistleblowers, recognizing their crucial role in curtailing corruption. They embraced a collective action approach, acknowledging the power of social norms and perceptions in changing attitudes towards corruption. A resounding call for sustained partnerships – mutual, regional, and multinational – in amplifying the fight against corruption.  The government, too, was urged to enact robust systems and policies to sustain and curtail corrupt tendencies and actions, ensuring a future where justice and integrity reign supreme.  Next Steps Wamac’s Moving Train while leaving Kano residents to continue pushing for accountability and collective action against corruption, has arrived in Abakaliki, the capital of Nigeria’s South East state of Ebonyi.  The Town Hall in the state with the support of MacArthur Foundation focuses on Teacher Absenteeism in Ebonyi State’s Public Schools: Role of Communities in Addressing the Menace.