COVID-19: Falana Writes CBN On N338bn Fund Spending

Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has written a letter to the Central Bank of Nigeria demanding information on how the N338.6bn COVID-19 fund was spent.

Falana said this in a letter titled, ‘Request for Detailed Information on Beneficiaries of N338.66bn Coronavirus (COVID-19) Intervention Funds Disbursed Across Various Sectors in Nigeria by the Central Bank of Nigeria’.

In the letter dated August 17, 2020 and received at the CBN on August 18, Falana said the request was made in line with the Freedom of Information Act.

The letter read in part, “Our attention has been drawn to an online report relating to the disbursement of the sum of the sum of N338.6bn as COVID-19 intervention funds to beneficiaries across Nigerian states.

“Since the report did not capture the details of persons who benefitted from the disbursement of the funds, we hereby request in line with Section 1 of the Freedom of Information Act that you avail us with the details of the disbursement.”

In a letter dated August 26, 2020, however, the apex bank asked for more time.

In a letter signed by Director of Corporate Secretariat/Secretary to the Board, John Onojah, the CBN said the response was being processed.

The response read in part, “We refer to your letter dated August 17, 2020 on the above matter and wish to inform you that the request is being processed and we will revert to you as soon as possible.”