BudgIT, CODE launch website to track COVID intervention funds in Africa

BudgIT, a civic tech non-profit organisation, in partnership with Connected Development (CODE), has launched a website to track funds committed to the fight against COVID-19 in Africa.

Hamzat Lawal, founder of CODE, said the partnership between the two civic organisations will promote proper documentation of COVID-19 funds and ensure greater transparency and accountability.

Lawal said this at the launch of the COVID-19 Transparency and Accountability Project (CTAP) website in Abuja, on Monday.

“Our conversation here today is very vital, not only because of COVID-19, but because of the progressive work that BudgIT and Connected Development has done to account for proper documentation of COVID-19 funds, which has increased participation and ensured greater transparency and accountability, particularly in monitoring and reporting state of public health centres across the continent,” he said.

On his part, Gabriel Okeowo, chief executive officer of BudgIT foundation, said the long-term objective of the initiative is to see that Africa is positioned on the right path, so as to ensure the continent projects the right image before the international community.

Okeowo said since the beginning of the pandemic, Africa has so far recorded over $50 billion to fight COVID-19, noting that the website will serve as a hub for data that explains inflow and expenditure.

“We decided to pursue this course,  because a lot of resources have been committed in the fight against COVID-19, and as we know, history has it that Africa has been struck with a similar pandemic before,” he said.

“The concern about Africa is how the resources were squandered and wasn’t adequately accounted for in the fight against Ebola.

“This initiative in tracking and reporting of the activities of the resources is part of the initiative that will position Africa on the right path for us to be able to redeem our image in front of the international community, and then be able to account for the resources that have been committed to the fight against COVID-19.

“Record has it that so far we have had over $50 billion that has been committed to COVID-19 across Africa.

“This website that we are launching today is a one-stop centre for everyone in Africa and all over the world to see what has been committed to each country through data. As we know, data don’t lie. The website is a collection of data relevant to COVID-19 transparency and accountability.”