The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the 36 state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to provide details on how trillions of naira in federal allocations have been spent since the return of democracy in 1999.
In Freedom of Information requests sent on April 20th, 2024, SERAP urged the state leaders to release documents showing the spending of funds received from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).
The transparency advocacy group also wants the allocations and spending closely monitored by anti-graft agencies.
“Nigerians ought to know in what manner public funds including FAAC allocations are spent,” said SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare. “Without this information, Nigerians cannot follow the actions of their states and the FCT and they cannot properly fulfill their responsibilities as citizens.”
The requests come on the heels of FAAC disbursing over N1.123 trillion to the three tiers of government for the month of March 2024 alone, with states receiving N398.689 billion of that sum.
SERAP contends that the huge FAAC payouts to states over the years have been mismanaged and misspent, directly threatening the human rights and welfare of vulnerable Nigerians. The group wants the states to widely publish all documents on past FAAC spending.
“Ensuring the FAAC allocations are spent to achieve the security and welfare of Nigerians are serious and legitimate public interests,” the FoI requests stated.
SERAP has further urged the states to invite the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to jointly investigate any allegations of corruption linked to the federal allocations.
