The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has urged Nigeria’s 36 state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to explain how they used the money from the Federal Account Allocation Committee given to states and the FCT since 2019.
It also asked them to give out and make public documents showing how they spent the FAAC money they received for their states and the FCT since 1999.
The Federal Account Allocation Committee is responsible for reviewing and approving the allocation of funds to states and the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The requests came after reports that the committee distributed N1.123 trillion to the federal, state, and local governments for March 2024 alone.
The breakdown revealed that states got N398.689 billion.
SERAP’s request was in the Freedom of Information inquiry dated April 20, 2024, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
“Without this information, Nigerians cannot follow the actions of their states and the FCT, and they cannot properly fulfil their responsibilities as citizens.
“Trillions of FAAC allocations received by Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT have allegedly gone down the drain. The resulting human costs directly threaten the human rights of socially and economically vulnerable Nigerians,” it said.
It added that making the documents public would allow Nigerians to actively participate in the implementation of projects carried out with the FAAC money received.
“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 consider appropriate legal actions to compel you and your state and the FCT to comply with our requests in the public interest,” it added.
The FoI requests read in part, “Keeping the spending of FAAC allocations received by your state and the FCT a secret goes against the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and the country’s international anti-corruption obligations.
“Keeping the spending of FAAC allocations received by your state and the FCT a secret also deprives Nigerians of the right to know how public funds are spent. Revealing the spending would enable them to have control over their government.
“The documents should include the evidence and list of specific projects completed with the FAAC money collected, the locations of any such projects, and reports on the completion of the projects.
“The documents should also include details of the salaries and pensions paid from the FAAC money collected, as well as the details of projects carried out on hospitals and schools with the FAAC money.
“Despite the increased FAAC allocations to states and FCT, millions of residents in your state and the FCT continue to face extreme poverty and lack access to basic public goods and services.”
