Report revealed that, the Socio-Economic Rights and
Accountability Project on Tuesday asked a Federal High Court in Lagos to
compel the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to offer
explanation on the N30tn, which allegedly went missing under her watch.
The suit marked FHC/L/CS/196/2015 came after the minister allegedly failed to oblige the organisation’s request to furnish it with information as regards the allegedly missing money pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act.
Okonjo-Iweala had come under the spotlight following an allegation by a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Chukwuma Soludo, that not less than N30tn had either been missing, or stolen, or unaccounted for, or simply mismanaged under her watch as the Minister of Finance.
SERAP, in the suit filed through its Senior Staff Attorney, Olukayode Majekodunmi, insisted that Okonjo-Iweala, as a trustee of public fund, was duty-bound in law to render an account of the controversial N30tn to Nigerians whenever she was called upon to do so.
The group noted that the Minister of Finance, as a key functionary in government, had a sacred duty to ensure that the country’s resources and wealth were used solely to fulfil the basic economic and social rights of all Nigerians and to achieve the country’s overall socio-economic development.
It said, “Therefore, it is necessary to provide clarity as to what exactly happened to the missing N30tn if the Ministry of Finance is to continue to play a leadership role in the transparent and accountable management of the country’s resources and wealth, and to enjoy the public trust and confidence essential for the Ministry’s effectiveness and impact.”
SERAP said the information it demanded bordered on “an issue of national interest, public peace and security, public concern, social justice, good governance, transparency and accountability,” which Okonjo-Iweala was duty-bound to volunteer.
The suit marked FHC/L/CS/196/2015 came after the minister allegedly failed to oblige the organisation’s request to furnish it with information as regards the allegedly missing money pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act.
Okonjo-Iweala had come under the spotlight following an allegation by a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Chukwuma Soludo, that not less than N30tn had either been missing, or stolen, or unaccounted for, or simply mismanaged under her watch as the Minister of Finance.
SERAP, in the suit filed through its Senior Staff Attorney, Olukayode Majekodunmi, insisted that Okonjo-Iweala, as a trustee of public fund, was duty-bound in law to render an account of the controversial N30tn to Nigerians whenever she was called upon to do so.
The group noted that the Minister of Finance, as a key functionary in government, had a sacred duty to ensure that the country’s resources and wealth were used solely to fulfil the basic economic and social rights of all Nigerians and to achieve the country’s overall socio-economic development.
It said, “Therefore, it is necessary to provide clarity as to what exactly happened to the missing N30tn if the Ministry of Finance is to continue to play a leadership role in the transparent and accountable management of the country’s resources and wealth, and to enjoy the public trust and confidence essential for the Ministry’s effectiveness and impact.”
SERAP said the information it demanded bordered on “an issue of national interest, public peace and security, public concern, social justice, good governance, transparency and accountability,” which Okonjo-Iweala was duty-bound to volunteer.
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