45 Ecological Funds projects ready for inauguration – FG

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, on Thursday said 45 projects under the Ecological Funds had been completed across the country.
Mustapha disclosed this at the Open Government Partnership Town Hall meeting in Abuja, and said that the projects would be inaugurated soon.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, General Service in his officer, Olusegun Adekunle, he said Nigerians may be unaware of the progress on the use of ecological funds in the country.
According to him, the first process of accountability is to ensure that ministers of government accounted for all resources that have been stamped by the Federal Executive Council.
He said that measures had been put in place in various agencies of government for accountability, and that the agencies were expected to not only formulate the policies but to account to public on level of progress delivery.
Mustapha said that Nigerians must be informed about what the various ministries had done in their sectors.
He said that the government was aware of the request for information which was not easily responded to and that the Ministry of Justice and Office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation were working on it.
He said: “The office of secretary to the government and the ministry of justice are working tirelessly to help Civil Society Organisations and citizens have access to information.
“CSOs are known to fight for the social welfare of ordinary citizens, for transparency, accountability and transformation and should not be denied access to information.”
He said that continuation of project which was necessary for the growth and development of the nation was also going to be tackled.
Mustapha said that the ministry of justice was working to ensure that lives of Nigerians which were on threat daily were protected.
He said: “Security is a threat that affects the daily lives of Nigerians. The ministry of justice will ensure that they improve on them.”
Dr Joe Abah, Country Director, Development Alternatives Incorporated, appealed to the government to amend and issue a circular on non-compliance with Freedom of Information Act.
He said that sanctions should be formulated and implemented for Ministries, Department and Agencies that failed to comply with the Act.
Abah, a former Director-General, Bureau of Public Service Reforms, urged the media to press for the enforcement of FOI Act and not rely on press releases and statements to make news.
He said: “Journalists should use investigative journalism to put pressure on government to apply the use of the FOI Act which is key to their job.”
Abah said that the court which was the mostly used justice system was slow and expensive to the average Nigerian and that it should be made to deliver justice to the poor.
He said: “The criminal justice system must work. Those who have stolen or looted should not be allowed in public places; they should be sent to where they belong and refrain from using injunction upon injunction to get away with their crimes.”
He urged all eligible Nigerians to register in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration to enable them to perform their civic responsibilities during elections.
He said: “It is the responsibility of every eligible Nigerian to register to vote, cast their votes at polling units, ensure that the votes are counted and that the votes count.”
Abah said that politicians should seek power from the electorate in 2019 with patriotism and responsibility.