From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
A human rights group, the Kingdom Human Rights Foundation International has given the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, a seven-days ultimatum to comply with the order of the Federal High Court directing the Ministry to furnish the group with details of Covid-19 sit-at-home school feeding programmes of face contempt charges.
The Abuja division of the Federal High had in a judgment in suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1162/2020, filed by the group ordered the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to furnish a human rights organization, the Kingdom Human Rights Foundation International details of covid-19-sit-at-home school feeding programme.
The suit was between the Incorporated Trustees of Kingdom Human Rights Foundation International Vs Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and four others.
Justice Evelyn Maha who delivered the judgment granted the reliefs sought in 3 (a) (b) (c) and (d) of the suit.
However the group said in purporting to comply with the judgment of the court, the ministry in a letter dated November 30, 2023 on the above subject matter purportedly complied with the terms of the judgment of the Federal High Court.
A statement by the group Executive Director, Okere Kingdom, said following the recent corruption practices against the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, which is all over the social media, it has now become obvious to the management of KHRFI that indeed the purported school feeding during the covid-19 was indeed a scam.
The legal team of our foundation have reviewed the letter purportedly complying with the said judgment and concluded that it did not comply with the terms of the judgment.
The Hon. Court in page 51 of the judgment ordered the 1st and 2nd defendants to furnish the plaintiff the information sought in reliefs 3 (a) (b) (c) and (d) of the suit.
In the said letter of compliance, there was no documentary evidence attached to disclose how the ministry spent N523, 23,800 million in the three states.
There was also no documentary evidence disclosing how the said N523, 23,800 million was dispatched /distributed to 124, 589 households who purportedly received the take-home rations at N4, 200.00.
“For the avoidance of doubt, reliefs 3 (a) (b) (c) and (d) sought in the originating summons as ordered by the Court reads:
An order of mandamus directing and compelling the 1st defendant to immediately release and make available to the plaintiff all the information and documents requested by the plaintiff in the plaintiff’s application letter to the 1st defendant dated 6th August 2020, to wit:-
Details, accompanied with documentary evidence of how the N523,273,800 MILLION was spent on school feeding programme during the COVID-19 LOCKDOWN in three States following presidential directive as disclosed to Nigerians by the 1st defendant during the Presidential taskforce on Covid-19 briefing of Monday 3rd August 2020 in Abuja.
Details with the aid of documentary evidence disclosing how the said N523,273,800 MILLION was dispatched/distributed to the 124,589 households whom the 1st defendant claimed received take-home rations valued at N4,200,00 to wit:- “In the FCT, 29,609 households were impacted, 37,589 households in Lagos and 60,391 in Ogun, making a total of 124,589 households impacted between May 14, and July 6. “If 124,589 households received take-home rations valued at N4,200, the amount will be N523,273,800.’’.
Facts with the aid of documentary evidence, disclosing whether the 124,589 households whom the 1st defendant claimed received take-home rations valued at N4,200 received it in cash or if they received food items.
If the 124,589 households whom the 1st defendant claimed received take-home rations valued at N4,200 received it by cash, facts with the aid of documentary evidence, including State by State photographs of those distributing and those receiving, disclosing whether they were given cash of N4,200 or food items valued N4,200.
The judgment of the court is clear and lucid that the reliefs 3 (a) (b) (c) and (d) are granted, and the said letter of purported compliance by the Ministry grossly fell short of the reliefs sought in the originating summons.
We hereby give the Ministry seven days from Monday February 12, 2024 to totally comply with the judgment of the court, or we shall commence contempt proceedings personally against the Permanent Secretary and the person holding the office of the Minister.