Landmark Court Order: Okowa Government Must Account for Over N200bn Education Funds and Allocations

In a groundbreaking judgment, the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the disclosure of the spending details of over N200 billion in public funds collected by the government of former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa. These funds were received from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and allocations from the Federation Accounts.

The court specifically directed the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, to reveal the budgetary allocations and actual spending by the Okowa government between 2015 and 2019, including specific projects aimed at improving primary education in Delta State, along with their respective locations.

The landmark judgment resulted from a Freedom of Information suit brought by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP). Honourable Justice Daniel Osiagor, who presided over the case, upheld SERAP’s arguments, emphasizing that the organization has a legal right to inquire and obtain information on how public institutions manage public funds. He stressed that transparency and accountability in governance are responsibilities that every citizen should demand.

Justice Osiagor expressed his disappointment that the request for spending details of public funds between 2015 and 2019 had become a cause of litigation for four years. He highlighted the importance of the Freedom of Information Act in empowering NGOs like SERAP to seek and obtain information from public archives or records.

As a result of the court’s ruling, the Delta State government is compelled to disclose how the Okowa government utilized over N7.28 billion received from UBEC between 2015 and 2017 and N213 billion from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) in 2018, with an average of N17.8 billion per month.

The suit filed by SERAP followed the case of seven-year-old Success Adegor, whose viral video revealed the challenges faced by children due to illegal school fees and poor-quality education at Okotie-Eboh Primary School 1 in Delta State.

In response to the judgment, SERAP urged Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to comply with the court’s orders and promptly disclose the spending details of the education funds. They emphasized that the judgment sends a strong message to politicians and public institutions about being held accountable even when out of office.

The court’s orders also extend to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the Delta State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), requiring them to provide specific information about the disbursement and administration of UBEC funds and improvement projects for primary education in Delta State.

Overall, the judgment reaffirms the importance of transparency and citizen empowerment in ensuring accountability in public spending and governance.