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Court fixes Nov 2 for judgement on Ecological Fund suit against finance minister

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The Federal High Court in Abuja will on November 2, 2021, deliver judgement in the suit filed by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) against the Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed.

The suit was to seek an order of mandamus compelling the respondent to grant the applicant access to details of the Ecological Fund allocation to the Federal, States and Local Governments between 1999 and 2017.

In the case, Centre for Social Justice v. Honourable Minister of Finance with SUIT NO: FHC/A3J1CS/788/2017, CSJ is asking the court to declare that denying them access to the details of the Ecological Fund allocation without explanation constitutes an infringement of their right guaranteed and protected by section 1 (1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2011 and by Section 48 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007.

Read also: Nigeria needs N350tr for execution of capital projects – Finance minister

In a statement made available to Ripples Nigeria on Thursday, CSJ disclosed that it is asking the court to grant them an order of mandamus compelling the respondent to grant them access to the year-by-year details of the Ecological Fund allocation specifically on the information of any unpaid outstanding sums accruing to the beneficiaries for the years if any.

Also, CSJ is asking the court to grant them an order of mandamus compelling the respondent to grant them access to the report of the utilization of the funds by the beneficiaries.

CSJ is also asking the court for an order compelling the respondent to pay to the Applicant the sum of N500,000 as damages for denying the applicant access to information and for such further orders as the Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance of the case.

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