Seeks details of ‘payment of N729bn to poor Nigerians‘
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP), has filed another lawsuit against the Federal Government of Nigeria at the Federal High Court, in Lagos
The agency asked the court to compel the Federal Government to disclose details of proposed payments of N729bn to 24.3 million poor Nigerians, including the mechanisms and logistics for the payments, list of beneficiaries, and how they have been selected, and whether the payments will be made in cash or through Bank Verification Numbers or other means.
In a suit, filed at the Federal High Court, Lagos, last week by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare and Opeyemi Owolabi, SERAP is also seeking an order directing and compelling the Federal Government to explain the rationale for paying N5,000 to 24.3 million poor Nigerians for six months, which translates to 5% of the countrys budget of N13.6 trillion for 2021
The suit followed SERAPs Freedom of Information (FoI) request to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disasters Management and Social Development, Sadiyya Umar-Farouk.
The suit stated that: Disclosing the details of beneficiaries and selection criteria, as well as the payment plan would promote transparency and accountability, and remove the risks of mismanagement and diversion of public funds.
SERAP is also seeking: an order directing and compelling the Federal Government to clarify whether the proposed payment to poor Nigerians is part of the N5.6 trillion budget deficit.
SERAP is also arguing that Providing support and assistance to poor Nigerians is a human rights obligation but the programme to spend 5% of the 2021 Budget, which is mostly based on deficit and borrowing, requires anti-corruption safeguards to ensure the payments go directly to the intended beneficiaries, and that public funds are not mismanaged or diverted..
According to SERAP: The Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended], UN Convention against Corruption, and African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party require the government to set the highest standards of transparency, accountability and probity in programmes that it oversees.
SERAP is also arguing that The government has a responsibility to ensure that these requirements and other anti-corruption controls are fully implemented and monitored and that the payments are justified in light of the huge budget deficit and borrowing, and whether there are better ways to spend N729bn to support poor Nigerians.
According to SERAP: The Federal Government has repeatedly failed to ensure transparency and accountability in the spending of public wealth and resources.
While sympathising with families, government and people of Plateau State on the killings in different communities and LGAs in the state, he also commiserated with the families of all those who lost their loved ones during the attacks.
