NGOs Are Fraudsters, It Must End! —Frank Tietie

Popular human rights lawyer and executive director of Citizens Advocacy for Social & Economic Rights (CASER), Barrister Frank Tietie has lamented what he described as outright fraud by Non-Governmental Organisations [NGOs].

Barrister Tietie’s lamentations were based on his recent discovery that donors – both foreign and local – have been donating millions of dollars in various sectors, yet, in his words, nothing has changed.

Some of the affected areas include health, education, food, humanitarian, even government agencies, corruption fight, etc.

Consequently, Mr. Tietie has resigned forthwith his position as the executive director, Citizens Advocacy for Social and Economic Rights (CASER).

See attached his resignation letter as executive director of CASER below:

I am tendering my resignation letter to Otunba Gbenga Onayiga, the Chairman Board of Trustees of Citizens Advocacy for Social & Economic Rights (CASER), today.

Subject to his acceptance of my resignation letter, I wish to cease to be the Executive Director of CASER. I am angry. Very angry!

What’s the meaning of this?

How can Mac Arthur Foundation give all these money on account of Nigeria’s problems and everything just seems normal.

What am I still doing as an NGO player when there are so many NGOs and even private companies receiving donor funds in the name of our problems, yet nothing has changed.

Is it just about talking and drinking tea or coffee in workshops? Nonsense! I am out!

What a huge joke! It  must end!

Just imagine, how could I let myself suffer so much claiming to be doing NGO work while some guys who had all those money, who should be the ones to doing the job, live large and I break my head, shout and lead protests when I am broke? I dey crase ?.

Come on, I was doing NGO work as if I was doing church work. What ignorance and naivety!

Just take a look at the list. So much money given by Mac Arthur Foundation to fight corruption in Nigeria, yet Nigeria’s problems remained in cycles all through the last two years.

Please look at the list again. It contains the amount, the name of the NGO or Company, the job description and the location of the NGO. It is easier to study the list than the budget of Nigeria. So look at the list.

I only needed a fraction of those amounts to change the entire sociopolitical milieu of this country. I know what I am talking about. I couldn’t do much because I spent much of my time burning myself up with that self-righteousness and so called passion of mine. Was I so dumb and stupid not to play the game?

I had to beg money from friends when I couldn’t carry on with my CSO work. Recently, I began selling T-Shirts to fund my programmes. What nonsense!

They said it was a one man NGO so I began to apply corporate governance.

I begged and pleaded with Otunba Onayiga and a host of other eminent and distinguished Nigerian to form a governing board of trustees yet the better and smarter guys got all the grants.

I don’t begrudge them at all. They are good but they must do the work.

Since they got all the money, they should just do the work. From all those monies I have seen on that list, I am not sure much sincere work has been done in the least by some of those grantees.

I didn’t know our country’s problems were so lucrative to NGO players. No wonder they usually gave me those pitiable looks.

Some of them even gave me that feeling that I was their rival. May be that’s why we hardly cooperated. I now know why. It is about scrambling and positioning to get these kind of quiet donor funds.

If that is the game, I don’t like it and I am calling it quits. I can achieve greater impact even as an ordinary lawyer who also aspires to be a Senior Advocate of Nigeria by the grace of Almighty God.

The Nigerian NGO/CSO community has poorly inspired me.

I do know and vouch for a few NGOs with a lot of credibility and integrity. Their works speak for them.

But take another look at the list of the grantees of Mac Arthur Foundation, Nigeria and see whether or not you agree with me that some of those NGOs, CSOs and Companies who collect donor funds must render accounts to the public after all, the problems they claim to solve belong to the public. And sometimes, much of donor funds come from a generous public that donates.

Now consider that this list is just from one donor, Mac Arthur Foundation. What about USAID, DFID, SIDA, GTZ, etc.

Before I call it quits as  Executive Director of CASER, I am making all its accounts public.

Don’t expect much. The highest single donation CASER got last year was N200,000.

John Isabage remains the highest cumulative individual donor to CASER.

Imagine if we got funding when I started the Omnibus Human Rights Show on radio or the Strategic Litigation Secretariat got a fraction of money and see how we would have used the instrument of law to effect change?

What about Legal Matters on Air and Online and many other people oriented programmes we initiated.

They said we were never qualified for any funding. Now these guys they claim to be qualified and to whom they have given the money, it is these guys who must now do the work.

They must do it conscientiously and transparently. In fact, they must render accounts not only to those who gave them the money but  to the people who own the problems for which they collected the money.

If writing fantastic proposals is what qualified NGOs for funding, I would have lost all the passion for the work, trying to embellish the proposals with a lot of grammar, may be a lot of lies on a plainer note.

I must now hastily move on to doing the walk of life. Life is quite short! [end]

His resignation, however, was turned down by Otunba Onayiga who insisted that he carry on with his well-spirited humanitarian services.

Reacting to Onayiga’s rejection, he said in a note titled “Caser Is Here To Work”:

“I ran CASER from being an accidental NGO that was born from a landmark judgment I secured for Nigerian children and made it to become an internationally recognized NGO.

“We did all of that by sheer devotion and the cooperative support of many people.

“We never relied on any major donor. We got people’s confidence enough to convince them to put in their personal money despite being in Nigeria.

“We are still ready to carry on with the work. It is now hard for me no doubt.

“I remain Executive Director of CASER by Otunba Onayiga’s insistence and I will step down when it has taken its rightful place as an NGO that will easily fulfil its mandate

“Thank you.”

Tietie said that he didn’t know our problems were so lucrative to NGO players.

He noted that if it was the Chinese that spent all those millions of dollars from only this one donor, Mac Arthur Foundation, “we would see something on ground”.

“This joke must end! NGOs/CSOs must render public account,” he declared.

Mr. Tietie then went ahead and listed grants received by NGOs/CSOs in dollars since 2017 from Mac Arthur Foundation by Nigeria as follows:

$350,000 to Accountability Lab

Washington, D.C. – to implement an accountability training program for young people and expand the reach of the Integrity Idol campaign.

$499,750 to American University, School of International Service

2018 • 3 years

Washington, D.C. – to conduct research on accountability initiatives.

$134,000 to Behavioral Insights (US) Inc.

2018 • 2 years

Brooklyn, New York – for behavioral science workshops and technical assistance in Nigeria.

$50,000 to BudgIT Foundation

2018 • 2 months

Sabo, Yaba, Nigeria – X-grant to convene a multi-stakeholder conference on new media and governance in the run up to the 2019 elections.

$1,125,000 to Center for Information Technology and Development

2018 • 2 years

Kano, Nigeria – in support of sustaining and deepening anti-corruption and accountability efforts in Nigeria.

$40,000 to Centre for Democracy & Development (Nigeria)

2018 • 3 months

Abuja, Nigeria – X-grant to convene a multi-stakeholder conference on fake news, disinformation and cybersecurity in Nigeria, in the run up to the 2019 elections.

$740,000 to Chatham House

2018 • 3 years

London, United Kingdom – in support of research on behavior change and corruption in Nigeria.

$450,000 to CLEEN Foundation

2018 • 2 years

Ojodu, Nigeria – to monitor implementation and increase public awareness about the Administration of Criminal Justice Act in Nigeria.

On Nigeria

$200,000 to HEDA Resource Centre

2018 • 2 years

Ikeja, Nigeria – to build capacity for asset tracing, recovery, and anti-corruption work in Nigeria.

$ 400,000 to Integrity

2018 • 2 years, 5 months

Abuja, Nigeria – to promote accountability and anti-corruption in at-risk sectors in Nigeria.

$623,000 to Legal Defence and Assistance Project LEDAP

2018 • 2 years

Lagos, Nigeria – to improve the fight against corruption through increased efficiency in criminal investigations and prosecutions in Nigeria.

$30,000 to Open Government Partnership Secretariat

2018 • 4 months

Washington, D.C. – X-grant to support accountability advocates in Nigeria to attend the 2018 global OGP summit in Tbilisi, Georgia.

$1,070,000 to Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre

2018 • 2 years

Abuja, Nigeria – in support of sustaining and deepening anti-corruption and accountability in Nigeria.

$300,000 to Proteus Fund Inc.

2018 • 2 years

Amherst, Massachusetts – for the Transparency and Accountability Initiative.

$1,404,000 to Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation

2018 • 2 years

Abuja, Nigeria – in support of sustaining and deepening anti-corruption and accountability efforts in Nigeria.

$880,000 to Signature Communications Limited

2018 • 2 years

Abuja, Nigeria – for strengthening investigative and data-driven journalism in local languages at the community level as tools for reducing corruption and enhancing accountability.

$20,000 to UK Citizens Online Democracy

2018 • 4 months

London, United Kingdom – X-grant to support participation in the 2018 MySociety civic technology conference.

$680,000 to Wadata Communication Nig Ltd

2018 • 2 years

Minna, Nigeria – for strengthening investigative and data-driven journalism in local languages at the community level as tools for reducing corruption and enhancing accountability.

$1,062,000 to Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative

2018 • 2 years

Abuja, Nigeria – for sustaining and deepening anti-corruption and accountability work in Nigeria.

$1,300,000 to Actionaid International Foundation Nigeria

2017 • 3 years

Abuja, Nigeria – for promoting transparency and accountability in the education sector in Nigeria.

$420,000 to Action Health, Incorporated

2017 • 3 years

Yaba, Nigeria – , to promote transparency and accountability in the education sector in Nigeria.

$400,000 to African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development

2017 • 3 years

Abuja, Nigeria – to support implementation of national action plan for the Open Government Partnership in Nigeria.

$300,000 to African Centre for Media & Information Literacy

2017 • 3 years

Abuja, Nigeria – for building public confidence in and promoting implementation of a whistleblower guideline in Nigeria.

$500,000 to Akin Fadeyi Foundation

2017 • 3 years

Lagos, Nigeria – to amplify accountability messaging and galvanize community action through the media.

$600,000 to Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society

2017 • 3 years

Abuja, Nigeria – to amplify accountability messaging and galvanize community action through faith-based platforms in Nigeria.

$400,000 to Arewa Research & Development Project

2017 • 3 years

Kaduna, Nigeria – to promote social accountability by amplifying investigative reports in Northern States.

$1,000,000 to Bayero University, Kano

2017 • 3 years

Kano, Nigeria – to amplify accountability messaging and galvanize community action through faith-based platforms in Nigeria.

$250,000 to Centre for Democratic Development Research and Training (CEDDERT)

2017 • 3 years

Zaria, Nigeria – to promote transparency and accountability in the education sector in Nigeria.

$1,200,000 to Centre for Socio-Legal Studies

2017 • 3 years

Abuja, Nigeria – to deepen criminal justice reform and fast-track the prosecution of high profile corruption cases in Nigeria.

$300,000 to Centre for Transparency Advocacy

2017 • 3 years

Abuja, Nigeria – to amplify corruption reporting and galvanize community action.

$280,000 to Centre for Women’s Health and Information

2017 • 3 years

Lagos, Nigeria – in promoting transparency and accountability in the education sector in Nigeria.

On Nigeria

$600,000 to Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre

2017 • 3 years

Abuja, Nigeria – to promote legislative accountability by amplifying investigative reports in Nigeria.

$600,000 to CLEEN Foundation

2017 • 2 years, 11 months

Ojodu, Nigeria – for the development of a technology platform to document and monitor Administration of Criminal Justice Act cases.

$350,000 to Community Life Project

2017 • 3 years

Apapa, Nigeria – to promote transparency and accountability in the education sector in Nigeria.

$350,000 to Connected Development Initiative

2017 • 3 years

Abuja, Nigeria – in promoting transparency and accountability in the education sector in Nigeria.

$420,000 to Connecting Gender for Development

2017 • 3 years

Kaduna, Nigeria – to promote transparency and accountability in the education sector in Nigeria.

$1,500,000 to Equal Access To Knowledge Development Initiative

2017 • 3 years

San Francisco, California – to amplify accountability messaging and galvanize community action through the media.

$400,000 to Fans Connect Online Limited

2017 • 3 years, 3 months

Lagos, Nigeria – to amplify accountability messaging and galvanize community action through the media.

$420,000 to Federation of Muslim Women Associations in Nigeria

2017 • 3 years

Utako, Abuja, Nigeria – to promote transparency and accountability in the education sector in Nigeria.

$490,000 to Girl Child Concerns

2017 • 3 years

Kaduna, Nigeria – in promoting transparency and accountability in the education sector in Nigeria.

$400,000 to Griot Studios

2017 • 3 years

Abuja, Nigeria – to amplify accountability messaging and galvanize community action through film and an interactive game.

$377,400 to Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government

2017 • 2 years

Cambridge, Massachusetts – to offer a course on behavioral insights in Nigeria.

$400,000 to HEDA Resource Centre

2017 • 3 years

Ikeja, Nigeria – to facilitate citizen action to ensure old and new corruption cases are kept in view and resolved.

$700,000 High Definition Film Studio, Limited

2017 • 3 years

Abuja, Nigeria – to amplify accountability messaging and galvanize community action through the media.

$400,000 to International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA)

2017 • 3 years

Shehu Shagari Way,Abuja, Nigeria – in support of adoption and implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act in select states in Nigeria.

$300,000 to Legal Awareness for Nigeria Women

2017 • 3 years

Kaduna, Nigeria – to promote transparency and accountability in the education sector in Nigeria.

$800,000 to Lux Terra Leadership Foundation

2017 • 3 years

Abuja, Nigeria – to amplify accountability messaging and galvanize community action through faith-based platforms in Nigeria.

$450,000 to Moving Image Limited

2017 • 3 years

Kano, Nigeria – to amplify accountability messaging and galvanize community action through the media.

$400,000 to Nextier Capital Limited

2017 • 3 years

Abuja, Nigeria – to improve the public’s knowledge about the power sector in Nigeria.

$1,800,000 to Nigerian Bar Association

2017 • 3 years

Abuja, Nigeria – to assist with adoption and implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) in 29 states.

$600,000 to Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission

2017 • 3 years

Abuja, Nigeria – to improve accountability and public knowledge about the power sector in Nigeria.

$1,200,000 to Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies

2017 • 3 years

Lagos, Nigeria – for the development of tailored training modules, tools, and publications for judges and lawyers on the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).

$420,000 to Nigerian Popular Theatre Alliance

2017 • 3 years

Zaria, Nigeria – to promote transparency and accountability in the education sector in Nigeria.

$450,000 to Palace of Priests Assembly

2017 • 3 years

Abuja, Nigeria – to amplify accountability messaging and galvanize community action through faith-based platforms in Nigeria.

$500,000 to Partners West Africa – Nigeria

2017 • 3 years

Abuja, Nigeria – for monitoring compliance of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act and its local versions in Lagos and Ondo states, through court observation.

$300,000 to Pastoral Resolve

2017 • 3 years

Kaduna, Nigeria – to promote transparency and accountability in the education sector in Nigeria.

$300,000 to Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education

2017 • 3 years

Kano, Nigeria – in promoting transparency and accountability in the education sector in Nigeria.

$800,000 to SceneOne Productions, Limited

2017 • 3 years

Lagos, Nigeria – to amplify accountability messaging and galvanize community action through the media.

$600,000 to Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation

2017 • 3 years

Abuja, Nigeria – to amplify corruption reporting and galvanize community action.

$300,000 to Social Development Integrated Centre

2017 • 3 years

Port Harcourt, Nigeria – to amplify corruption reporting and messaging and to galvanize community action.

$300,000 to Consumer Protection Council (CPC)

2016 • 3 years

Abuja, Nigeria – in support of promoting transparency and accountability in the electricity sector in Nigeria.

$350,000 to Daily Trust Foundation

2016 • 3 years

Abuja, Nigeria – to strengthen investigative and data-driven journalism as tools for reducing corruption and enhancing accountability.

$300,000 to Human Development Initiatives

2016 • 3 years

Onike, Yaba, Lagos State, Nigeria – to promote transparency and accountability in the education sector in Nigeria.

$600,000 to Imperial College London, Partnership for Child Development

2016 • 3 years

London, United Kingdom – to strengthen the policies and processes of the National School Feeding Program in Nigeria.

$350,000 to International Centre for Investigative Reporting

2016 • 3 years

Abuja, Nigeria – to strengthen investigative and data-driven journalism as tools for reducing corruption and enhancing accountability.

$400,000 to Legal Defence and Assistance Project LEDAP

2016 • 3 years

Lagos, Nigeria – in support of state level implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act in Nigeria.

$1,200,000 to Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism

2016 • 3 years

Abuja, Nigeria – in support of strengthening investigative and data-driven journalism as tools for reducing corruption and enhancing accountability.

$420,000 to Public and Private Development Centre

2016 • 3 years

Abuja, Nigeria – to promote transparency and accountability in the education sector in Nigeria.

$400,000 to Reboot

2016 • 3 years

Brooklyn, New York – in support of strengthening investigative and data-driven journalism as tools for reducing corruption and enhancing accountability.

$600,000 to Sahara Reporters

2016 • 3 years

Lagos, Nigeria – in support of strengthening investigative and data-driven journalism as tools for reducing corruption and enhancing accountability.

$300,000 to Socio-Economic Rights & Accountability Project

2016 • 3 years

Lagos, Nigeria – in support of promoting transparency and accountability in the electricity and education sectors in Nigeria.

$350,000 to Stakeholder Democracy Network

2016 • 3 years

London, United Kingdom – in support of an electricity accountability project in Nigeria.

$700,000 to Tiger Eye Social Foundation

2016 • 3 years

Dzorwulu, Accra, Ghana – to strengthen investigative and data-driven journalism as tools for reducing corruption and enhancing accountability.

$300,000 to Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism

2016 • 3 years

Lagos, Nigeria – to strengthen investigative and data-driven journalism as tools for reducing corruption and enhancing accountability.

$500,000 to Centre for Socio-Legal Studies

2015 • 2 years, 5 months

Abuja, Nigeria – to support implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act in Nigeria.

$300,000 to CLEEN Foundation

2015 • 3 years

Ojodu, Nigeria – monitoring the implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Reform processes in Nigeria.

$300,000 to Right to Information (R2K), Nigeria

2015 • 3 years, 10 months

Abuja, Nigeria – In support of the project, Progressive Engagements Toward Effective Implementation of Nigeria’s Freedom of Information Act 2011 (over three years).

$2,000,000 to TrustAfrica

2015 • 3 years, 9 months

Dakar, Senegal – To form a funders’ collaborative to establish the Anticorruption and Criminal Justice Reform Fund in Nigeria.

Source : www.macfound.org/grants

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