In a statement, SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, wants the governors of the nine oil producing states to provide and widely publish details of spending of the oil derivation refunds including details and locations of projects executed with the money.
Recently, the current administration paid the oil derivation refunds to the governors of Abia, AkwaIbom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Rivers, Ondo, Imo and Cross River states which covered 13 per cent oil derivation, subsidy and SURE-P refunds and date from 1999 to 2021.
In the open letter, the rights group said it is in the public interest to publish the details of spending of the refunds, adding that Nigerians have the right to know how their states are spending the refunds.
SERAP said disclosing the information would enable Nigerians to scrutinize the spending of the refunds and would also promote transparency and accountability in the spending of public funds.
It added that the move would also ensure that persons with public responsibilities are answerable to the people for the performance of their duties in the management of public funds.
