FORMER finance minister Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been ordered by a federal high court to provide information on the spending of N30trn (£102.7bn) representing some accruable income during the last four years of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan's administration.
In a major embarrassment for the former government, the court ordered the information to be provided in response to a suit filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (Serap). Ruling on the matter, Justice Ibrahim Buba, ordered Dr Okonjo-Iweala to respond to revelations by the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor Charles Soludo, that at least N30trn has either been stolen or unaccounted for, or grossly mismanaged during the last few years of her watch.
Justice Buba ruled: “Mrs Okonjo-Iweala and the federal government have no legally justifiable reason for refusing to provide Serap with the information requested for. The court has gone through the application and agrees that Serap’s application has merits and the argument is not opposed."
In addition, the court agreed with the arguments put forward by Serap deputy director Olukayode Majekodunmi that Dr Okonjo-Iweala and the federal government should have either supplied the information or communicate her denial within seven days of receipt of the letter if she considers that the request should be denied. Serap commenced this proceeding by way of an originating summons dated February 23 2015 and on filed 25 February 2015.
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