More reactions have continued to trail the decision of the Federal Government to spend $1bn from the Excess Crude Account to fund the war against Boko Haram.
On Sunday, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) demanded an explanation for the decision which has generated a debate since it was announced.
In a statement by its Deputy Director, Mr Timothy Adewale, SERAP asked President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently explain the decision to Nigerians.
Doing that, according to the civil society organisation, will help the Buhari administration to avoid “the intense secrecy and lack of accountability and oversight of the spending on Boko Haram that characterised the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan”.
The National Executive Council had approved the withdrawal of $1bn from the Excess Crude Account to fund the war against insurgency on Thursday.
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State had told journalists after the NEC meeting that the governors of the 36 states – through their chairman – okayed the withdrawal of the fund because they were “pleased with the achievements that have been made to date in the fight against insurgency”.
But the decision has been questioned with many wondering why it was important to spend such an amount after the Federal Government declared that it had technically defeated Boko Haram.
In its statement, SERAP said Nigerians had not been given enough information about the progress made in the war against insurgency.
The statement read in part, “Nigerians should have some sense of what it is the government is doing in our name, especially against the background of the declaration by the authorities that the anti-insurgency war has ended and the Boko Haram terror group defeated, as well as the unresolved questions on how over $2bn was spent by former Jonathan administration to fight Boko Haram. The government also ought to tell Nigerians whether and how the legal requirements for approving the extra-budgetary allocations were met.
“As a government presumably pursuing a change-agenda, Buhari should do things differently from the former Jonathan administration including by proactively engaging the Nigerian people in an honest conversation about the fight against Boko Haram and the use of the public funds so far invested to prosecute it.
“The Nigerian people do not have sufficient information at hand to evaluate, much less influence, the government’s policies, strategies and funding to end Boko Haram insurgency. Nigerians need to know the level of success that has been recorded against Boko Haram, and the security situation in the North-east, as well as the amount of public funds that have been invested to combat terrorism.”
“The success of Nigerian constitutional democracy ultimately depends upon an informed citizenry. The government should, therefore, emphasise transparency over secrecy on the spending on Boko Haram. Buhari should keep Nigerians up-to-date about what he’s doing to end Boko Haram, including by explaining why $1bn is needed at this time to fight the insurgency.”
According to SERAP, the health of Nigeria’s democracy depends on the government’s willingness to ensure that its policies and programmes are in national interest.
To determine whether the government is playing its role effectively, the group believes “citizens need to know about governmental actions and policies in order to exercise their checking power including at the polls”.
“The only effective restraint upon executive policy and power may lie in an enlightened citizenry,” it said.
With regard to the war against insurgency, as an example, SERAP is not satisfied with the level of disclosure.
It said, “Transparency in the spending on Boko Haram would also have an indirect effect on other branches in the sense of setting an example and changing the background tone of government. Such disclosure helps to ensure government’s adherence to the rule of law and promote confidence in the lawfulness of governmental action.”
“Since the start of the Boko Haram insurgency, Nigeria defence and security budgets have increased significantly yet there has been no resolution of the conflict; and troops in the front line have reportedly complained of lack of military equipment and resources to fight Boko Haram insurgents and restore full security.”
After recalling the allocations made to the military since 2014, and the $2.1bn arms scandal, the group also called for the speedy investigation and prosecution of all those alleged to have embezzled funds meant for the fight against Boko Haram.
“A speedy prosecution will serve as a deterrent and ensure that Nigerians, particularly those in the northeast whose human rights have been violated, are not denied justice and reparation. The government should provide all investigating and prosecuting agencies with adequate funding and manpower required for speedy investigation and prosecution of corruption linked to the fight against Boko Haram,” he said.
