Movement demands information on N3tr fuel subsidy 

• SERAP sues Buhari, others for alleged missing N3.1b money
• Industrial court hears contempt suit against minister today

The People’s Alternative Political Movement (TPAP-M) has requested information on the N3 trillion fuel subsidy demanded by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited for 2022.

The demand was contained in a letter to the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, issued by the movement’s Comrades Jaye Gaskia and Omotoye Olorode.

It noted: “As this request is anchored on the Freedom of Information Act 2011, you are required to accede to our request within seven days of the receipt of this letter.

“Take notice that if you fail or refuse to furnish us with the requested information, we shall not hesitate to pray the Federal High Court to compel you to furnish us with the requested information.”

SIMILARLY, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sued President Muhammadu Buhari and two others at the Federal High Court, Lagos for failure to probe allegations that over N3.1 billion of public funds are missing from the finance ministry.

Joined in the suit, as respondents, are the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN) and Hajia Ahmed.

No date has been fixed for hearing of the suit.

ALSO, the National Industrial Court (NIC) will, today, hear the contempt suit filed by the Association of Specialist Medical Doctors in Academics (ASMEDA).

The doctors initiated the action against Ahmed for alleged disregard to a court order.

Also joined in the motion on notice for committal for contempt of court marked: NICN/ABJ/145/2021 before Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae of the NIC, Abuja, include Chairman, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), Ekpo Nta and Account-General of the Federation (AGF), Ahmed Idris.

The court had, on July 23, 2021, in an ex-parte motion moved by counsel to the claimants, Martin Agba, ordered the defendants to pay the doctors based on the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and the associated allowances.

The salary was approved by the Federal Government on September 29, 2009, which was the status quo, pending the determination of the suit.

But the claimants averred that from August 2021 till date, the defendants are yet to fully comply with the said order.

The claimants: Dr. Christopher Sakpa, Dr. Momoh Mcsionel, Dr. Ahmed Rabiu and Dr. Darlington Akukwu had, for themselves and on behalf of the affected members of ASMEDA, filed the motion against the defendants.

The NSIWC, AGF and finance minister are first to third defendants respectively in the motion on notice dated January 18, and filed by Agba on January 26.

The claimants are seeking an order for leave of the court to proceed with committal proceedings for disobedience to its order “made on July 23, 2021, against the Executive Chairman of the first defendant, Chief Executive Officer of the second defendant and the person of the third defendant.

It went on: “An order of the honourable court for committal of the named principal officers of the defendants for their disobedience jointly and severally to the interim restraining and mandatory orders of injunctions of this court made on July 23, 2021, and served on all the defendants on or about July 28, 2021.”

The claimants prayed the court to proceed on the committal proceedings on the grounds that it granted all their reliefs directing the defendants to restore them to the status quo as at April 2021 on the CONMESS and associated allowances pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

They said the enrolment order of the court was duly served on the defendants on or about July 28, 2021, followed up by an official letter dated August 9, 2021, by their lawyer, urging the principal officers of the defendants to comply, but failed to do so.