Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the
\nWorld Bank President Mr David Malpass “to exercise the Bank’s
\nprerogative to release archival records and documents relating to
\nspending on all approved funds to improve access to electricity in
\nNigeria between 1999 and 2020, the Bank’s role in the implementation of
\nany funded electricity projects, and to identify and name any executed
\nprojects, and Nigerian officials, ministries, departments and agencies
\ninvolved in the execution of such projects.”<\/p>\n
The World Bank Board of Directors had last week approved $500m “to help
\nboost access to electricity in Nigeria and improve the performance of
\nthe electricity distribution companies in the country.”<\/p>\n
But in the application dated 6 February 2021, and signed by SERAP deputy
\ndirector Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization urged the Bank to “explain
\nthe rationale for the approval of $500m to implement electricity
\nprojects in the country, despite reports of widespread and systemic
\ncorruption in the sector, and the failure of the authorities to enforce
\na court judgment ordering the release of details of payments to
\nallegedly corrupt electricity contractors who failed to execute any
\nprojects.”<\/p>\n
SERAP said: “This application is brought pursuant to the World Bank’s
\nAccess to Information Policy, which aims to maximize access to
\ninformation and promote the public good. There is public interest in
\nNigerians knowing about the Bank’s supervisory role and specifically its
\ninvolvement in the implementation of electricity projects, which it has
\nso far funded.”<\/p>\n
According to SERAP, “The $500m is part of the over one billion dollars
\navailable to Nigeria under the project titled: Nigeria Distribution
\nSector Recovery Program. We would be grateful for details of any
\ntransparency and accountability mechanisms under the agreement for the
\nrelease of funds, including whether there is any provision that would
\nallow Nigerians and civil society to monitor the spending of the money
\nby the government, its agencies, and electricity distribution
\ncompanies.”<\/p>\n
SERAP also said: “Should the Bank fail and\/or refuse to release the
\ninformation and documents as requested, SERAP would file an appeal to
\nthe Secretariat of the Bank’s Access to Information Committee to
\nchallenge any such decision, and if it becomes necessary, to the Access
\nto Information Appeals Board. SERAP may also consider other legal
\noptions outside the Bank’s Access to Information framework.”<\/p>\n
The letter copied to Shubham Chaudhuri, World Bank Country Director for
\nNigeria, read in part: “SERAP believes that releasing the information
\nand documents would enable Nigerians and civil society to meaningfully
\nengage in the implementation of electricity projects funded by the Bank,
\ncontribute to the greater public good, and enhance the Bank’s oft-stated
\ncommitment to transparency and accountability.”<\/p>\n
“The World Bank has been and continues to be involved in overseeing the
\ntransfer, disbursement, spending of funds on electricity projects in
\nNigeria. The Bank also reportedly approved a $750 million loan for
\nNigeria’s electricity sector in June 2020 to cut tariff shortfalls,
\nprotect the poor from price adjustments, and increase power supply to
\nthe grid. As such, the World Bank is not a neutral party in this
\nmatter.”<\/p>\n
“SERAP is seriously concerned that the funds approved by the Bank are
\nvulnerable to corruption and mismanagement. The World Bank has a
\nresponsibility to ensure that the Nigerian authorities and their
\nagencies are transparent and accountable to Nigerians in how they spend
\nthe approved funds for electricity projects in the country, and to
\nreduce vulnerability to corruption and mismanagement.”<\/p>\n
“SERAP also believes that the release of the requested information and
\ndocuments is of paramount important to the public interest in preserving
\nthe legitimacy, credibility and relevance of the Bank as a leading
\ninternational development institution. The Bank ought to lead by example
\nin issues such as transparency and public disclosure raised in this
\nrequest.”<\/p>\n
“It would also demonstrate that the Bank is willing to put people first
\nin the implementation of its development and governance policies and
\nmandates, as well as remove any suspicion of the Bank’s complicity in
\nthe alleged mismanagement of electricity projects-related funds.”<\/p>\n
“The information is also being sought to improve the ongoing fight
\nagainst corruption in the country and the provision of regular and
\nuninterrupted electricity supply to Nigerians as a fundamental human
\nright.”<\/p>\n
“The information requested is not affected by the “deliberative”
\n“corporate administrative matters” or “security and safety” exceptions
\nunder the Policy. The information requested is crucially required for
\nNigerians to know how the funds released to the authorities to improve
\nelectricity supply in the country have been spent, and monitor how the
\nfunds are being used.”<\/p>\n
“SERAP’s report, titled: From darkness to darkness: How Nigerians are
\npaying the price for corruption in the electricity sector documents
\nwidespread and systemic corruption in the electricity sector, and
\nreveals how about N11 trillion electricity fund was squandered by
\nsuccessive administrations in Nigeria since the return of democracy in
\n1999.”<\/p>\n
“This report raises specific questions of public interest, and the World
\nBank ought to be concerned about how Nigerian authorities are addressing
\nreports of widespread and systemic corruption in the electricity sector,
\nand to seek some answers from the authorities on the problems.”<\/p>\n
“However, as the report shows, the Bank’s funding of the electricity
\nsector has not resulted in corresponding access of Nigerians to regular
\nand uninterrupted electricity supply. Successive governments have failed
\nto provide access to regular and reliable electricity supply to millions
\nof the citizens despite budgeting trillions of naira for the power
\nsector.”<\/p>\n
“Millions of Nigerians still lack access to free pre-paid meters.
\nAuthorities continue to use patently illegal and inordinate estimated
\nbilling across the country, increasing consumer costs, and marginalizing
\nNigerians living in extreme poverty, disproportionately affecting women,
\nchildren and the elderly.”<\/p>\n
SERAP therefore urged Mr Malpass to:<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Disclose and release information and documents relating to
\nspending of funds approved and released to Nigeria between 1999 and 2020
\nto improve access to regular and uninterrupted electricity supply,
\nincluding copies of supervision reports, periodic reviews and other
\nappropriate reports on the Bank’s role in the spending and disbursement
\nof the funds, as well as specific projects on which the funds have been
\nspent;<\/p>\n
2.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Disclose implementation status and results and completion reports
\non the electricity projects that the Bank has so far funded in Nigeria;<\/p>\n
3.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Disclose information on the of level of involvement of World Bank
\nin the implementation of electricity projects between 1999 and 2020;<\/p>\n
4.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Disclose information on agreements and the mechanisms the Bank is
\nputting in place to ensure transparency and accountability in the
\nspending of all funds on electricity projects in Nigeria;<\/p>\n
5.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Disclose the terms and conditions of all electricity projects
\nrelated funds that have been approved for Nigeria between 1999 and 2020<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the World Bank President Mr David Malpass “to exercise the Bank’s prerogative to release archival records and documents relating to spending on…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":56720,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-78277","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-other-news"],"yoast_head":"\n