Diri’s govt breaching Bayelsa transparency law, publisher alleges
The Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Niger Delta Herald, Mr Francis Dufugha, has accused the Bayelsa Government of breaching the state’s Income and Expenditure Transparency Law, 2012.
Dufugha made the allegation in a statement issued in Yenagoa, expressing concern over what he described as the administration’s failure to fully comply with the transparency law.
He said the recent controversy surrounding the Chairperson of Sagbama Local Government Council had brought the issue of compliance with the law into sharper focus.
According to him, a government that demands compliance with the law from public officials and local government authorities must demonstrate strict adherence to all applicable laws.
Dufugha said the Bayelsa State Income and Expenditure Transparency Law, 2012, provides a legal framework for public disclosure of the financial affairs of the state.
He said the law was designed to ensure that residents were informed about the state’s income and how public funds were being expended.
He noted that such revenues included allocations from the Federation Account Allocation Committee, internally generated revenue and other sources of public income.
Dufugha argued that the Transparency Briefing should not be reduced to a private meeting of government officials or a press conference involving only selected journalists.
He said the exercise should provide an open accountability platform through which Bayelsans and relevant stakeholders could scrutinise the state’s finances.
He listed journalists, civil society organisations, professional bodies, labour unions, community leaders, traditional rulers and other interested members of the public among stakeholders who should participate.
According to him, holding the briefing in a single room at the Ministry of Finance, with only a few selected journalists invited, raises questions about compliance with the spirit and purpose of the law.
“Transparency cannot be reduced to the mere reading out of financial figures,” he said.
Dufugha said genuine transparency required the people to have the opportunity to understand, question and seek clarification on how public resources were being managed.
He said Bayelsans had the right to know the state’s monthly FAAC allocations, internally generated revenue and other income sources.
He added that the public should also know how much was being spent, payments made to contractors, debt-servicing obligations and other expenditures.
“These are public funds and not the personal resources of government officials. Therefore, the people have a legitimate right to demand accountability for every naira that comes into the coffers of the state,” he said.
While commending the state government for continuing to hold what it describes as the Transparency Briefing, Dufugha urged it to make the process genuinely open and inclusive.
He called for broader participation by civil society groups, labour unions, professional bodies, traditional institutions, community leaders and other stakeholders.
Dufugha also urged the government to ensure that the media had adequate access to financial information to enable journalists perform their constitutional and professional responsibility of holding government accountable.
He said the government could not demand compliance with the law from local government authorities while appearing to adopt a different standard regarding its own obligations.
“The rule of law must be applied consistently. It cannot be selective,” he said.
Dufugha called on the Diri administration to open up the Transparency Briefing process and provide Bayelsans with a genuine opportunity to scrutinise and understand the financial affairs of the state.
He said transparency should not be restricted by invitation, while accountability s
hould not be selective.
