By Sunday Elom
The International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) has opened its application portal for application from qualified journalists across Nigeria for the third phase of its Open Contract Reporting Project (OCRP), which will last from the year 2022 -2024.
The Centre made this known in a press release signed by its Deputy Programme Manager, Agema Gloria and made available to Orient Daily on Tuesday 8th March, 2022.
According to the Centre, the OCR project is an accountability reporting project that seeks to promote fiscal transparency and accountability in the budget and procurement processes in Nigeria.
The statement revealed that “The Centre has in the last five years worked to build capacity for journalists to effectively investigate and report on budget and procurement issues, thus strengthening open contracting processes and engendering effective service delivery for the welfare of the citizens.
“The current OCRP programme is a three-year project also funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation under its broad “On-Nigeria Anti-corruption programme” and would last through to 2024.
“This third phase of the OCRP is focused on recruiting journalists from community, local and grassroots media houses doing critical reporting across print, electronic and digital media in the six regions of the country.
“The project will build capacity, provide mentoring and financial support for selected journalists to work with the ICIR to undertake investigative and data – driven reports on budget and procurement processes at all levels of government. The ICIR would work with selected journalists for the three years of the project.
“Candidates with a minimum of three years experience as practicing journalists working in print, electronic and online media would be selected from across the six geo-political zones and would be expected to report on open contract issues in their respective states. Freelancers with a tract record of accountability reporting are also welcome.
“Intending journalists must provide proof of their investigative work in the last three years. Freelance journalists with proven reporting track records can also apply.
“Applications are therefore requested from journalists who meet the stipulated criteria. Candidates can only apply for this project online through this link (https://forms.gle/2FZR8na3Fmt1cZa49).
“Being an equal opportunity provider, the Centre strongly encourages all qualified female journalists to apply. We also encourage journalists from Northern Nigeria to apply. Deadline for application for this project is 18th March 2022.”
The Executive Director of ICIR, Dayo Aiyetan stated that with the support from the John D. Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Centre has trained over 200 journalists in newsrooms across the country and produced hundreds of investigative reports published by scores of media organizations since 2017 till date.