The 36 state governors in Nigeria have been asked to disclose details on the spending of the N2 billion palliative recently disbursed to each state by the Federal Government (FG), including the names of beneficiaries and details of the reliefs so far provided with the fund.
A Lagos-based rights group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) made the request through a statement issued by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
It would be recalled that the FG disbursed N2 billion out of the N5 billion palliative packages for each state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to address the impact of the removal of fuel subsidy.
Referring to its letter dated September 9, 2023, SERAP stated that it is in the public interest to publish the details on the spending of the N2 billion palliative and any subsequent disbursement of funds to the state governments.
The group, which further stated that Nigerians have the right to know how their states are spending the fuel subsidy relief funds, as it is part of their legally enforceable human rights, argued that "Transparency and accountability in the spending of the N2 billion and any subsequent disbursement to your state would help to reduce the risk of corruption, mismanagement, diversion, or opportunism.
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within seven days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel you and your state to comply with our request in the public interest.
“The oversight afforded by public access to the details of the spending of the N2 billion palliative and any subsequent disbursement would serve as an important check on the activities of your state and help to prevent abuses of the public trust”.
According to SERAP, “The constitutional principle of democracy also provides a foundation for Nigerians’ right to know details on the spending of the N2 billion fuel subsidy palliative.
“Citizens’ right to know promotes openness, transparency, and accountability, which is in turn crucial for the country’s democratic order.
“The effective operation of representative democracy depends on the people being able to scrutinize, discuss and contribute to government decision-making, including on the fuel subsidy relief funds”.
In noting that the removal of subsidy on petrol continues to negatively and disproportionately affect the poor and socially and economically vulnerable Nigerians in several states, undermining their right to an adequate standard of living, the group insisted that the Freedom of Information Act, Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights guarantee to everyone the right to information, including about how the N2 billion fuel subsidy relief funds are spent.
SERAP charged the state governors to invite the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to jointly track and monitor the spending of the N2 billion fuel subsidy palliative and any subsequent disbursement of public funds to their state.
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