The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has given the Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and other 35 state governors one-week ultimatum to provide the loan agreements and spending details of the loans obtained by their states and the FCT.
SERAP’s requests also included the “details and locations of projects executed with the loans,” which amount to N5.9 trillion and $4.6 billion.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by the organisation’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare; a copy of which was made available to PUNCH Online on Sunday.
SERAP urged the state governors and the FCT minister to “widely publish copies” of its requests as this would help keep Nigerians in the know of how their states’ governments spent their loans, and also ensure that “persons with public responsibilities are answerable to the people for the performance of their duties in the management of public funds.
“In the Freedom of Information requests dated March 30, 2024 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare,” the organisation said, “It is in the public interest to publish copies of the loan agreements and details of how the loans obtained are spent.
“Widely publishing copies of the loan agreements and spending details of the loans obtained would ensure that persons with public responsibilities are answerable to the people for the performance of their duties in the management of public funds.
The FoI requests, read in part, “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.
“SERAP is seriously concerned that many of the country’s 36 states and FCT are allegedly mismanaging public funds which may include domestic and external loans obtained from bilateral and multilateral institutions and agencies.”
