The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire and Director, Nigeria Center For Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu have been sued over “their failure to account for the general public funds thus far spent to fight the unfold of COVID-19 in Nigeria.
Within the swimsuit filed last week on the Federal Excessive Courtroom, Abuja, SERAP is in search of: “an order for depart to use for judicial evaluate and an order of mandamus to direct and compel the Minister of Health and the NCDC to publish particulars of the funds and sources from federal and state governments, and the personal sector.
The group additionally desires them to publish particulars of how the funds and sources have thus far been spent and used to fight COVID-19.”
SERAP can also be in search of an order of mandamus to compel the Federal Authorities to reveal data on the precise variety of assessments which were carried out for high-ranking public officers and politicians.
The group demand data on the variety of any such high-ranking public officers and politicians now in self-isolation or quarantine, in addition to the precise variety of assessments which were carried out for the nation’s poorest and most susceptible individuals.
“Transparency in the usage of COVID-19 cash would assist to cut back the danger of corruption or opportunism, construct belief and interact Nigerians within the combat towards coronavirus in addition to secure lives,” SERAP argues.
“Transparency and accountability are vital to implementing an efficient response to COVID-19 and slowing the unfold of the virus within the nation.”
“Nigerians have the best to know the small print of spending of COVID-19 cash, as that is important to the combat towards corruption, and can foster the event of democratic establishments and the rule of legislation in Nigeria.”
The swimsuit adopted SERAP’s Freedom of Info (FoI) requests dated 27 March 2020 to the Minister of Well being and the NCDC, expressing “concern that lack of transparency in the usage of the funds and sources to fight COVID-19 would result in diversion or mismanagement of funds and sources, unnecessarily value lives, and end in severe harm to public well being within the nation.”
“Thousands and thousands of Nigerians proceed to lack entry to an improved water supply and to correct sanitation, thereby making them susceptible to COVID-19 and different sicknesses.
“But, the Ministry of Health and the NCDC have failed and/or refused to reveal whether or not there’s any collaborative work with the Ministry of Water Assets to supply susceptible Nigerians with secure water, sanitation, and hygienic circumstances.”
The swimsuit was filed on behalf of SERAP by its attorneys Kolawole Oluwadare, Atinuke Adejuyigbe, and Opeyemi Owolabi.
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