By M. O. Idam, Esq.
On the 13th of March 2024, the office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) responded to a letter written in my private personal capacity, seeking for an information regarding the amount saved from the removal of fuel subsidy in Nigeria.
The response as contained in the letter stated that the OAGF’s office was not in-charge of the record of savings made from fuel subsidy removal and does not know if any project has been commissioned with savings from fuel subsidy removal. Hence, it directed that inquires regarding fuel subsidy savings should be made to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
Learning of the above development, League For Social Justice, a civil society group with keen interest in public accountability, took it upon itself and therefore wrote the NNPCL, making the demand which was made earlier to OAGF. Interestingly, the NNPCL today the 15th of April 2024 delivered its response to our office through the office of its external solicitor Afe Babalola & Co., stating that it is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act, 2011 nor is it in-charge of the subsidy regime or project commissioned with the fuel subsidy savings. Therefore, rejecting our request while stating further that enquires regarding fuel subsidy savings should be made to “relevant agency of the federal government.” Unfortunately, the NNPCL’s letter, unlike the OAGF’s, did not state the specific government agency that it is referring us to this time.
It suffices to state that the OAGF is either unaware of who is in custody of the nation’s savings regarding fuel subsidy hence it directed that we write the NNPCL, or that NNPCL is uncomfortable with accountability. Whatever be the case, we are not deterred or discouraged by any of that. Instead, we are determined to pursue this inquiry till we get the answers we seek as we hope to see a Nigeria that is accountable to its citizens.
God bless Nigeria.
