Gives seven-day deadline, threatens court action
Prominent human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has asked the Federal Government, especially the Nigerian Midstream Downstream Regulatory Authority (NUPRC), to provide details of a N17 billion contract approved by the Federal Executive Council for monitoring and tracking of refined petroleum products across the country.
He threatened that he would resort to the Federal High Court, should the government fail or refuse to provide the requested information before a seven-day deadline.
This came on the heels of a report by The Guardian indicating the President Muhammadu Buhari government has questions to answer over alleged subsidy scandal of about N200.8 billion monthly, even as petrol queues resurface across the country.
Falana, in a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, dated October 28, 2022, asked the government to provide details of the contract awarded under the defunct Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF).
Falana noted that Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, the then Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, had disclosed that deployment of the automated fuel system management and censor network would ensure 100 per cent tracking and monitoring of petroleum products.
Falana said: “In view of the foregoing, I, hereby, request for information on the installation of the technology monitoring schemes and structures acquired by the PEF for the sum of N17 billion, approved by the Federal Executive Council on August 8, 2018.
“As this request is made pursuant to provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2011, you are required to accede to our request within seven days of the receipt of this letter.”
He added: “Take notice, if you fail or refuse to furnish us with the requested information before the deadline of seven days, we shall not hesitate to pray the Federal High Court to compel you to accede to our request.”
SOurce: Guardian.ng