The emergence of more NGOs with similar mission as existing ones has raised the question of the motives behind their proliferation. Senior Correspondent, ONYEWUCHI OJINNAKA, spoke with some stakeholders on the issue.
Influx of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or civil society organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria in recent years, especially since the return to democratic rule in 1999, has been increasing astronomically. The rate at which they spring up, even with the same programmes as the existing ones, has raised a question on the motive behind the springing up of more NGOs.
TheNiche gathered that most NGOs are not really there to fight social ills, retrogressive and oppressive government policies, human rights abuses, or campaigning for the rule of law and provision of social services, but to make money – even as they flaunt the ‘non-profit’ toga.
Most NGOs are allegedly not accountable to any other authority except the owners, as most of the directors are blood relations. Some NGOs were established and registered with husband and wife as directors and with children and members of extended family as support staff. They register their outfit with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and ministry of social welfare as may be applicable, rent a flat and start soliciting for funds from individuals and corporate bodies to carry out one programme or another.
It was also alleged that some do not even register with any regulatory authority. They just float an organisation and give it any name that would attract sympathy and support from individuals, corporate organisations and foreign donors.
When the funds start coming, they would open an account in a bank or two with the husband or wife as chairman/chairperson or executive director, while the other becomes a director and they become the only signatories to the account. At the end of every year, there would be no financial report or general audit of the finances, and if there is any, only the owners (directors) would be entitled to the statement of account, as they are not accountable to the donors and sponsors.
Intermittently, they would organise one programme or another and at the end of the event, the organisers would claim to have justifiably spent the money given to them by donors and sponsors.
Real motives
Former Head, Litigation/Programme of Catholic Prison Chaplaincy, Archdiocese of Lagos, Stella Ukaegbu, said the truth about the motive behind the setting up of an NGO depends on the organisation and individuals. She posited that about 70 per cent of them are floated because of financial gain.
“The basic thing is that there is the profit motive behind it. By and large, some of them are there to make money. Most of them are not even registered. Some of them will answer the name they want to answer in order to make their money. That is the environment we have in Nigeria,” Ukaegbu posited.
Notwithstanding the profit aspect, she said, some of the NGOs and CSOs are there to carry out genuine programmes such as economic empowerment, human rights activism, election monitoring, campaign against child rights abuses and violence among others.
“Some organisations are really helping people,” she expressed.
Speaking on funding, Ukaegbu said funding depends on the programme of any organisation and could be national or international. She disclosed that it is not easy for NGOs to obtain funds from international bodies because they must pass through some channels. “They must check and evaluate what you have been doing in the past and what programmes you are putting in place that would warrant them giving financial support.”
On supervision and accountability, she said the international funders monitor the NGOs through their embassies.
Professor of law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Itse Sagay, did not agree with the suggestion that many NGOs have flooded the nation. “I do not think that NGOs are many. We should encourage them, especially those fighting for human rights.”
The human rights lawyer, however, said if any of the NGOs is fraudulent, the donors would know and would either withdraw or take any other punitive measure.
On accountability, Sagay posited that NGOs are accountable to the donors on how the money was spent and satisfy the donors based on the guidelines given to them on how to spend the money.
Also commenting on the issue of NGOs proliferation, president of Consumer Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria (CAFON), Sola Salako, aligned with Sagay that the NGOs are not too many. She said one of the roles of NGOs is to create pressure for good governance, and therefore more NGOs and pressure groups are needed in this country.
Speaking on who the NGOs are accountable to, she said they are accountable to CAC which registered them.
“They prepare and send their financial statement/report to CAC at the end of every financial year,” Salako disclosed.
