The former governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has been ordered by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos to disclose the full spending details of over N200 billion in public funds collected by his government from the Universal Basic Education Commission fund and allocations from the Federation Accounts.
The preceding judge, Honourable Justice Daniel Osiagor, in his judgment, dated July 17, ordered Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to “disclose details of budgetary allocations and actual spending by the Okowa government between 2015 and 2019.
The verdict came as a result of a Freedom of Information petition filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SEREP) with the case number FHC/L/CS/803/2019.
The suit was filed by SERAP following the case of seven-year-old Success Adegor, who was sent home because her parents could not pay the illegal school fee or levy of N900.
In his ruling, Justice Osiagor held that “SERAP has a cognizable legal right to inquire into and know the way and manner in which public institutions manage public funds. I must say that every citizen has a duty to demand transparency and accountability in the governance of public institutions.”
Justice Osiagor therefore ordered the Delta State government to “disclose how the Okowa government spent over N7.28 billion received from UBEC between 2015 and 2017, and N213 billion received from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee in 2018, at an average of N17.8 billion monthly.”
