A Federal High Court in Lagos has directed former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disasters Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, to provide a detailed account of the N729 billion disbursed to 24.3 million impoverished Nigerians over a six-month period.
Justice Deinde Isaac Dipeolu delivered the judgment in June in response to a Freedom of Information suit filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), bearing suit number FHC/L/CS/853/2021. The court ordered Umar-Farouq to disclose the list and particulars of beneficiaries, coverage across states, and the distribution amounts per state.
The ruling mandates the former minister to clarify the criteria used to select beneficiaries and the mechanisms employed for disbursement. Additionally, Justice Dipeolu questioned the rationale behind allocating N5,000 to each of the 24.3 million recipients, constituting five percent of Nigeria’s 2021 budget of N13.6 trillion.
SERAP, which obtained a certified true copy of the judgment last Friday, hailed the decision as a triumph for transparency and accountability in public expenditure. Kolawole Oluwadare, Deputy Director of SERAP, emphasized the significance of the court’s ruling in addressing alleged financial mismanagement within governmental ministries and agencies.
In response to the judgment, SERAP has called upon President Bola Tinubu to ensure compliance with the court order by directing immediate disclosure of the expenditure details as mandated. The organization underscored the importance of upholding the rule of law and ensuring transparency in governance and the management of public funds.
