Human rights activist Femi Falana (SAN) has urged the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to publicly disclose the monthly allocation to states and local governments. Speaking in an interview on Tuesday, Falana emphasized the importance of transparency in government actions, particularly in demonstrating how revenue from the removal of oil subsidy is being utilized. He called on the government to provide clear and accessible information to convince Nigerians of its accountability.
Falana, a senior lawyer, stressed the role of the media in holding the government accountable by consistently requesting and reporting on the monthly allocation to every level of government. He highlighted the need for openness and accountability to ensure proper governance and effective utilization of public funds.
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.”