The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the disclosure of spending details of over N200 billion in public funds collected by the government of former Delta State governor Ifeanyi Okowa. The funds were received from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and allocations from the Federation Accounts. The court ordered the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, to disclose the budgetary allocations and actual spending by the Okowa government between 2015 and 2019, including specific projects carried out to improve primary education in the state and their locations.
The judgment was delivered in response to a Freedom of Information suit brought by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP). Justice Daniel Osiagor upheld SERAP’s arguments, stating that every citizen has a right to demand transparency and accountability in the management of public funds. He also criticized the Delta State government for delaying the request for information for four years.
SERAP’s suit was based on the case of seven-year-old Success Adegor, who was sent home from school due to her parents’ inability to pay an illegal school fee/levy. The poor quality of her school, Okotie-Eboh Primary School 1, was also an issue. In the viral video, Success expressed her frustration at being unable to pay the fee.
The court has ordered the Delta State government to disclose details of how they spent over N7.28 billion received from UBEC between 2015 and 2017 and N213 billion received from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) in 2018, averaging N17.8 billion monthly. It also directed the government to disclose information on specific projects, welfare improvements for children in primary schools, and steps taken to improve access to education for children with disabilities in the state.
The judgment reinforces the importance of transparency and accountability in public governance, and SERAP has urged the Delta State government to obey and respect the court’s ruling by providing the requested information.
