Prominent human rights activist, Femi Falana, has called upon the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to disclose the monthly allocation to states and local governments, stressing the importance of transparency in governance.
In an interview with Channels Television on Tuesday, Falana emphasized the need for the government to demonstrate transparency in utilizing the proceeds from the removal of oil subsidy, urging Nigerians to be informed about how public funds are being utilized.
The senior lawyer highlighted the media’s crucial role in demanding accountability, citing Section 22 of the constitution, which mandates the media to promote transparency and accountability in governance.
Falana emphasized the importance of reinstating the culture of publishing monthly allocations to each tier of government, citing past practices. He urged the media to consistently request and compare the allocation figures before and after the removal of fuel subsidy.
He said, “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.
“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.”
