Adedapo Adesanya
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has given the 36 state governors a week ultimatum to disclose details of spending on the N2 billion palliative received from the federal government a few weeks ago.
In August, the federal government announced a N5 billion palliative package for each state of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to cushion the effect of the removal of the fuel subsidy.
However, the Minister of Finance, Mr Wale Edun, said the FG had released only N2 billion from the N5 billion loan it offered to each state as a palliative to cushion the effect of subsidy removal. He said this is to prevent inflation.
However, in a statement on Sunday, SERAP asked the Nigerian governors to reveal details of the spending of the palliative received from Abuja.
The group’s deputy director, Mr Kolawole Oluwadare, urged the respective states to “disclose details on the spending of the N2 billion palliative recently disbursed to each state by the Federal Government, including the names of beneficiaries and details of the reliefs so far provided with the money.”
“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 your government,” he added in the statement issued yesterday.
“Nigerians have the right to know how their states are spending the fuel subsidy relief funds. It is part of their legally enforceable human rights.
“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 group further stated.
