Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari led administration on the need to cut the cost of governance.
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 getting back to business as usual.”
“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.”
