country’s resources at the service of human rights, and to support the
less well-off to enjoy an adequate standing of living through cutting
the cost of governance and implementing bold transparency and
accountability measures in your government’s response to Nigeria’s
second recession in five years.”
In the letter dated 21 November, 2020 and signed by SERAP deputy
director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization said: “This economic
crisis provides an opportunity to prioritise access of poor and
vulnerable Nigerians to basic socio-economic rights, and to genuinely
recommit to the fight against corruption. The country cannot afford to
get back to business as usual.”
SERAP said: “Implementing human rights, transparency and accountability
measures would save money, address projected adverse human rights
impacts of the recession, and fast-track the economic recovery process.
It is not too late to take urgent measures that would put the country’s
wealth and resources to work for the common good of all Nigerians.”
According to SERAP: “Decades of mismanagement and corruption, and
deep-seated deficiencies in public financial management have directly
contributed to higher levels of borrowing and public debts, and
consequently, the economic recession. Successive governments have
squandered the promise afforded by the country’s natural wealth and
resources.”
The letter, read in part: “The paltry resources Nigeria invests in
essential public goods and services that would benefit ordinary
Nigerians can be partly explained by the high spending of public funds
to finance a life of luxury for members of the National Assembly, state
governors, and other powerful politicians.”
“The country’s resources appear to have been used almost exclusively for
the benefit of the political elites rather than on projects that would
ensure the right to an adequate standard of living, the maximum welfare,
prosperity, freedom and happiness of every citizen on the basis of
social justice and equality.”
“SERAP is seriously concerned about the adverse consequences of the
economic crisis on the human rights of poor and vulnerable Nigerians,
including denying them access to essential public goods and services
such as healthcare, education, clean water, and regular electricity
supply.”
“We would be grateful if your government begins to implement the
recommended action and measures within 14 days of the receipt and/or
publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then as to
the steps being taken in this direction, SERAP shall take all
appropriate legal actions to compel your government to implement these
recommendations for the sake of human rights, transparency and
accountability.”
“Nigeria has been poorly governed for many years, with systemic and
widespread corruption at all levels of government, contributing to
failures by successive governments to deliver essential public goods and
services to Nigerians, contrary to the country’s constitution and human
rights and anti-corruption obligations.”
“Huge budgetary allocations to fund security votes, renovate the
National Assembly complex, pay jumbo salaries and allowances to members
of the National Assembly, and life pensions to former governors and
their deputies, as well as massive corruption in ministries, departments
and agencies [MDAs] contribute to low provisions for health, education
and other essential public goods and services.”
“Prioritising the human rights of poor and vulnerable Nigerians means
providing public goods and services free of charge for those who cannot
afford them. This is the time to prioritise poor and vulnerable
Nigerians, and to ensure that any response to the recession goes well
beyond bailing out large companies and banks.”
“Our requests are brought in the public interest, and in keeping with
the requirements of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], and
Nigeria’s international obligations, including under the UN Convention
against Corruption, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social
and Cultural Rights, as well as the UN Guiding principles on human
rights impact assessments of economic reforms.”
“Your government ought to have taken full advantage of court judgments
ordering the full recovery of stolen public funds, recovery of life
pensions collected by former governors and their deputies, and mandating
your government to hold to account corrupt electricity contractors and
companies that collected billions of naira but disappeared with public
funds without executing any projects.”
“The continuing failure to enforce these judgments has contributed to
increasing level of borrowing, and in the process, the inability to
fulfil the country’s anti-corruption and human rights obligations to
progressively realize the human rights of poor and vulnerable Nigerians,
including their rights to affordable and decent health care, clean
water, adequate sanitation, and education.”
“As the National Bureau of Statistics stated, the country’s GDP recorded
a negative growth of 3.62 per cent in the third quarter of 2020. The
country had earlier recorded a 6.10 per cent contraction in the second
quarter.”
“SERAP therefore urges you to prioritise citizens’ socio-economic rights
and undertake comprehensive reform to stem grand corruption including in
MDAs, hold corrupt electricity contractors to hold, fully recover all
stolen public funds, and life pensions collected by former governors and
their deputies, and ensure a transparent and accountable spending of any
recovered public funds on projects that will directly benefit poor and
vulnerable Nigerians.”
SERAP also urged President Buhari to:
Increase investment in public health, the healthcare system, education
services, provision of clean water and other basic public goods and
services that will benefit majority of the population;
Re-direct budgetary allocations to renovate the National Assembly
complex and take urgent steps to ensure that essential public goods and
services are available to poor and vulnerable Nigerians;
Improve transparency and quality of information in government budgets
and reform public financial management to bring it in line with
international standards, and safeguard the right of media and civil
society to speak out against corruption and human rights abuses;
Direct the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC)
to urgently undertake a downward review of remuneration and allowances
of all political office holders including President, Vice-President
state governors and their deputies, and members of the National
Assembly, consistent with the provisions of paragraph N, 32[c][d] of the
Third Schedule, Part 1 of the Nigerian Constitution;
Regularly and widely publish full accounts of projected and actual
government revenues and expenditures;
Immediately instruct the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related
Offences Commission (ICPC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) to jointly investigate allegations of systemic and widespread
corruption in MDAs, as documented by the Auditor-General of the
Federation, and to ensure effective prosecution of those suspected to be
involved, and recovery of any stolen public funds;
Ensure independence of the Office of the Auditor-General of the
Federation