The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked the nine oil-producing states to publish the details of spending of the oil derivation refunds of N625 billion paid to them by the Federal Government within seven days.
The group also demanded the details and locations of projects executed with the money or face legal action. Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Rivers, Ondo, Imo and Cross River governors had received funds covering 13 per cent oil derivation, subsidy and SURE-P refunds from 1999 to 2021. SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare in the open letter dated December 9 insisted the public deserves to know how the money was spent.
He said: “Disclosing the information would enable Nigerians to scrutinise the spending of the refunds. Publishing the details of the oil derivation refunds would also promote transparency and accountability in the spending of public funds.”
The letter read in part: “Widely publishing details of the spending of the oil derivation refunds would ensure that persons with public responsibilities are answerable to the people for the performance of their duties in the management of public funds.
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within seven days of the receipt and/o rpublication 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 withourrequestinthepublic interest.
“The public interest in obtaining the information about expenditures relating to the oil derivation refunds outweighs any privacy or otherinterests. Theoversight afforded by public access to such details would serve as an important check on the activities of your state and help to prevent abuses of the public trust.
“SERAP also urges you to disclose details of spending of the refunds to local government councils through the state accounts and to explain the role played by your government in the spending of public funds meant for the councils. “The constitutional principle of democracy also provides a foundation for Nigerians’ right to know details of spending of the oil derivation refunds. Citizens’ right to know promotes openness, transparency, and accountability, which is in turn crucial for the country’s democratic order.”
The group said, according to information at its disposal, under the 13 per cent derivation fund, Abia received N4.8 billion; Akwa Ibom received N128 billion; and Bayelsa got N92.2 billion. Cross River got a refund of N1.3 billion; Delta received N110 billion; Edo receivedN11.3billion; ImoState, N5.5billion, OndoState, N19.4 billion; and Rivers received N103.6 billion. It added: “The nine states also received N4.7 billion each, totalling N42.34 billion as refunds on withdrawals for subsidyandSURE-Pfrom 2009 to 2015. The Federation Account also paid N3.52 billion each as refund to local government councils on withdrawals for subsidy and SURE-P from 2009 to 2015.”
