UNLOCKING FINANCIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

A CASE OF THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN INSURGENCY IN NORTH-EASTERN NIGERIA AND THE HEALTH BURDEN

ON LOCALS; REBUILDING AND REPOSITIONING

FINANCING FOR DEVELOPMENT; WORLD BANK GROUP via EdX – Final Project

Olalekan AINA, MB.Ch.B Ogun; March 2017

CONTENTS

BackgroundThe HIV AngleRationale for Financial AidExisting Sources of FundingBreakdown of Funding and Partnership for

HIV /AIDS in NigeriaOther Proposed Sources of FundingAbbreviations

BACKGROUNDThe dreaded Boko Haram sect came into

existence in Nigeria in 2002 but its activities remained largely silent until the uprising that led to the killing of its founder – Mohammed Yusuf in 2009.

The sect has since metamorphosed over time killing an estimated 20,000 people and displacing 2.3 million from their homes.

State of emergency was declared in three NorthEastern Nigerian states (Borno, Adamawa and Yobe)

Efforts have been made at resettling the displaced people in IDP camps spread over the three states but many are still forced to live outside their original homes.

Relief materials are being strained and there is an unending imbalance between the population and the available resources.

These camps have also witnessed a rise in the incidence of prostitution amongst young girls, malnutrition related issues in children and spread of communicable diseases in adults.

A typical camp of Internally Displaced Persons in Yola, Adamawa State, North-Eastern Nigeria, Dec. 2016.

Source: Premium Times

THE HIV ANGLEThe relationship between the displacement of

citizens by terrorism and the proliferation of HIV AIDS in IDP camps is unprecedented and equally undeniable. 512 new cases were reported in Borno camp in 2016 and a total of 5000 people were said to be living with the virus in the camps.

(http://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/nnorth-east/217050-borno-records-512-new-hiv-cases-idp-camps.html)

In Neighbouring Taraba State, of the 83546 patients tested for the virus at the Federal Medical Centre in Jalingo, 10367 came out positive representing an alarming 12.4% of the randomised population of people tested in the state. This has seen the state come up to 2nd position of all the 36 states in terms of HIV prevalence in the country.https://www.naij.com/638616-check-top-9-states-highest-presence-hivaids-nigeria.html

Chart Showing the Proportion of Tested Clients and HIV Positive Cases from 2008 – October 2016; FMC Jalingo, Taraba State

RATIONALE FOR FINANCIAL AID

Sustainable development ultimately boils down to people oriented goals.

For these goals to be achieved, people have got to stay alive.

Detractors in the form of health challenges have to be conquered.

Measures as well must be put in place to help these people live their best lives if they must contribute to any meaningful development.

The concept of sustainable development is almost self sustaining in that the initial mobilisation and disbursement of resources to appropriate projects certainly sets the stage to allow for consolidation on these efforts towards the continuity of development projects i.e “the more we build, the more we can.”(Opportunities for Economic Transformation in Africa; Week 2 Video by K.Y Amoako)

EXISTING SOURCES OF FUNDING Government allocationsInternational NGOs

Bill and Melinda Gates FoundationFHI 360

Local NGOs and PhilantropistsTY Danjuma Foundation

BREAKDOWN OF FUNDING AND PARTNERSHIP FOR HIV AIDS IN NIGERIA

2005–2007 - Government of Nigeria.2008–March 2012 - FHI/GHAIN.April 2012 – March 2015 - FHI360/SIDHASApril 2015-March 2016 - NACA SURE-P with

two pilot states TARABA and ABIA states.April 2016 till date - NACA Comprehensive

AID Program with State(CAPS)

OTHER PROPOSED SOURCES OF FUNDINGPARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN GOVERNMENT, PRIVATE FIRMS AND CITIZENS

The relationship between government, private firms doing businesses (telecommunications, crude oil exploration) in these fragile areas of the country could be better explored to finance development projects in addition to the ODA made available for this purpose.

Current tax:GDP ratio of developing countries (Nigeria inclusive) stands at 17% while that of OECD countries doubles that value at 35%

While it is believed that these companies do pay their tax to the government and these fragile areas eventually benefit from allocations, concessions could be granted to ensure that VAT generated from service users in these areas are strictly committed to rehabilitation, health and other development projects in the said areas.(Increasing public expenditure efficiency; Week 2 video by James Brumby).

Rather than leaving the vice of prostitution and other exploitations unchecked in these camps, the adolescents and adults there can be engaged in construction works for the rebuilding of these areas.

This way, the work gets done with a lot of enthusiasm and these locals equally get a chance to earn some livelihood.

The time that is left to indulge in harmful often unintended practices resulting in the proliferation of HIV infection is reduced, and funds mobilised to augment the efforts of NGOs currently footing the bills for the treatment of infected persons in these high incidence areas.

ABBREVIATIONS

IDP – Internally Displaced PersonsNGO –Non Governmental OrganisationFHI – Family Health InternationalODA – Official Development AssistanceGDP – Gross Domestic ProductOECD – Organisation for Economic Cooperation and

DevelopmentVAT – Value Added TaxNACA – National Action Committee on AIDSSURE-P – Subsidy Reinvestment Programme

NB: References have been listed immediately below the quoted material where necessary

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