By Kelechi Amakoh
The International Centre for Investigative Reporting, ICIR, Abuja, has invited applications from interested journalists to apply for investigative training on budget and procurement.
The training which will bring 15 journalists from across the country, is open to practicing journalists in print, electronic and new/digital media who are not based in Abuja, the federal capital.
The deadline for application and nomination for the training is June 12, 2017.
Interested journalists can apply on our application platform here
The training is part of a project in which ICIR is partnering with the Public and Private Development Centre, PPDC aimed at equipping Nigerian journalists with the know-how to better scrutinise and report budgetary and procurement issues in order to create more transparency and accountability in the public sector.
The project is courtesy of a three-year grant from the MacArthur Foundation as part of efforts to promote accountability and transparency and assist in the fight against corruption, which is one of the cardinal programmes of the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.
According to Dayo Aiyetan, the Executive Director of the ICIR, the “project is to help equip journalists in Nigeria with up-to-date knowledge of Investigative Journalism as well as to help cash-strapped newsrooms to undertake critical watchdog reporting that can make government accountable to the people.”
“The focus on budgetary, procurement and contracting processes is informed by the reality that most of the looting of government kitty is done during contracting and procurement processes.
“We want to equip journalists with knowledge and skills that would enable them properly scrutinize and report activities of government, particularly the contracting processes through which money meant for development is stolen,” he noted.
He added that the project would not only build the capacity of the journalists as it would also “appoint mentors for them, provide funds and work with them to do investigative reports on critical areas.”
The project is divided into two phases of training for up to 30 (15 Abuja based and 15 from other parts of the country) Nigerian journalists over a three-year period.
The first phase, which was for Abuja based journalists, has been concluded. The second phase, which will bring 15 journalists from across the country, is now open to practicing journalists in print, electronic and new/digital media who are not Abuja based.
Freelance reporters who are interested in Investigative Journalism can also partake in the project as long as they have a guarantee of getting their reports published in a news outlet.
The training workshops, three in all for each cohort, is to build participants’ skills in Investigative Journalism, Data Journalism and Infrographics, Procurement Tracking, Monitoring and Fraud investigation, among others.