FOI: CBN governor urged to release documents on alleged corruption in fuel subsidy
A civil society group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent a Freedom of Information request to Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, urging him to “use your good offices to provide documents on the systemic corruption in the subsidy system to enable our organization petition the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in order for suspected perpetrators of corruption in the system to be effectively brought to justice.”
In the petition dated 15 January 2012 and signed by SERAP Executive Director Adetokunbo Mumuni, the organization said that, “We welcome your recent publicly expressed position that those involved in the fuel subsidy scam to the detriment of millions of Nigerians should be arrested and prosecuted by the appropriate authorities. “
“This request is made to obtain the necessary documents for us to swiftly send a petition to the EFCC to achieve the objectives which you have articulated for many years, that is, to bring about the effective prosecution of suspected perpetrators of the subsidy scam,” the organization also said.
CBN governor, Lamido Sanusi Lamido
According to the organization, “If the problems in the fuel subsidy system are not fully and urgently addressed and suspected perpetrators not prosecuted, this will continue to have a devastating effect on investment in the oil and gas sector while also discouraging the building of refineries, thus making Nigeria perpetual importer on petrol.”
The organization also expressed concern “that while N250 billion was allocated for fuel ‘subsidy in 2011, by the end of October 2011, over N1.3 trillion has been spent. We have information to the effect that the subsidy claim rose to 1.5 trillion by December 2011.”
“Having found that no supplementary appropriation was submitted to the National Assembly by President Goodluck Jonathan, we would be grateful for information on who authorised the release of the sum N1.26 trillion, which was paid by the Central Bank of Nigeria under your management,” the organization added.
The organization also said that, “We agree with you that this raises serious suspicion of corruption in the fuel subsidy system. We believe that this situation is a major contributory factor for the situation of extreme poverty in the country, which in itself is a violation of human dignity, inhibiting the full and effective enjoyment of human rights.”