The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), through its social accountability project, UDEME, has commenced its 2023 U-Monitors project tracking and reporting exercise.

The nine-month programme kicked off this week after a two-day virtual onboarding session to equip the fifty (50) selected journalists with relevant skills and tools to efficiently track and report on government projects across 26 states in Nigeria. 

The training, which was held on March 8 and 9, exposed participants to the nitty-gritty of government budgeting and procurement processes, data journalism, fact-checking, and impact tracking.

Following the training, the journalists will be paired with mentors who will provide editorial guidance and support to produce reports that highlight the impact of government projects in communities across the country.

Project Officer of UDEME, Ijeoma Okereke-Adagba said there has been an accountability gap in governance systems in Nigeria over the years. She noted that the CJID through the efforts of journalists on the UDEME project, popularly known as “U-Monitors”, has continued to contribute to deepening democracy in Nigeria.

“We have realized that U-Monitors have significantly helped in filling up this gap. In 2023, we hope that these selected trackers will track and report procurement stories at the sub-national level, as well as engage with state officials, CSOs, and citizens at the grassroots for democracy and good governance,” she said.

Since it was launched in 2018, UDEME has constantly sought to advance transparency and accountability in governance by scrutinizing the processes by which funds released for developmental projects (capital, constituency, and ecological) are spent.

It has successfully tracked over 4,300 projects in over 2,000 communities across 26 states in Nigeria, sensitizing citizens and getting them actively involved in tracking and monitoring government projects in their localities.

This year’s exercise will run from March until November 2023.