By 
Renowned human rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has called upon the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to enhance transparency by publishing monthly allocations to states and local governments.
Speaking during an appearance on Tuesday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today, Falana emphasized the need for transparency regarding the utilization of proceeds from the removal of fuel subsidy, asserting that the government must provide clear accountability to the Nigerian populace.
Falana stressed the importance of media oversight in ensuring accountability, urging media outlets to consistently demand and scrutinize the monthly allocations to all tiers of government.
Citing constitutional provisions, particularly Section 22 which mandates the media to promote transparency and accountability in governance, Falana underscored the media’s crucial role in holding the government accountable.
He advocated for a return to the practice of publishing monthly allocations to every tier of government, highlighting that transparency in government spending was a fundamental aspect of democratic governance.
“We are demanding that on a monthly basis that the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation be publishing what goes to every tier of government.
“That was the culture in the past. At a stage we were told the government was going to be run in a transparent manner.
“Section 22 of the constitution states that the media should promote transparency and accountability in the government.
“So the media is compelled to demand on a monthly basis what goes to every tier of government and to compare what was being earned before fuel subsidy removal and what is going to the federal government account after the subsidy removal,” the rights advocate charged.
Further expressing concerns over discrepancies in government expenditure, Falana highlighted instances such as the non-remittance of funds to the federal account by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for almost a year and irregularities in the implementation of the minimum wage.
“For almost a year, the NNPC did not remit any money to the federal account. But now we are told that they are no longer subsidizing fuel.
“They should tell us what they are making per month. The government said that it would be paying N35,000 wage award to workers every month; but now we are told only some months were paid.”
The SAN in reiterating his earlier call, urged the government to provide comprehensive reports on revenue generation and expenditure, particularly in light of policy changes such as the removal of fuel subsidy, to ensure transparency and accountability in governance. (Channels)
Comments