A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, has fixed April 16, 2024 for judgment in a suit seeking to compel the National Population Commission, (NPC) to account for how it spent N200 billion out of funds allocated to it for the conduct of the deferred 2023 census exercise.
Justice Inyang Ekwo reserved judgement after counsel adopted their briefs in a suit filed by a lawyer, Victor Opatola who accused the NPC of refusing to provide detailed information on how the N200 billion was reportedly spent on preparations for the postponed 2023 population and housing census.
When the matter commenced on Thursday, Opatola who represented himself as plaintiff, told the court that all processes had been filed and exchanged with the defendant, which the counsel for NPC, D. Chimezie acknowledged, as he identified and adopted all processes, urging the court to dismiss the suit for lacking in merit.
The Executive Chairman, NPC, Nasir Kwarra, in May 2023, had made public that the Commission spent N200 billion for preparations, out of the expected N800 billion needed to conduct the census.
However, in an originating summons, Opatola narrated to the Court how he filed a Freedom of Information (FOI) application to the NPC in March 2023, requesting for information on the budget submitted by the Commission for the 2023 census exercise.
He said he also requested information on the funds received so far by the Commission towards the conduct of census, among other things.
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Citing Section 4 of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, Opatola noted that the defendant/respondent had within Seven (7) days after the application was received to make the information available to the plaintiff/applicant, but failed to comply with the provisions of the law.
The plaintiff among others want the Court to make a declaration that the refusal, failure and or neglect by the defendant to release the information or records requested by the plaintiff concerning the quality test assurance report on the devices and technology to be deployed by the commission for the 2023 Census amounts to a violation of Section 4 (a) and (b) of the FOI Act and therefore is wrongful, illegal and unconstitutional.
Opatola in the suit explained that the request concerning the type of technology to be deployed for the census exercise was to ensure that the equipment to be used were at par with world best practices.
After hearing the submissions by the lawyers, Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter to April 16, 2024 for judgment.
(Editor: Ken Eseni)
