SARAKI CONSTITUENCY PROJECTS: ENetSuD DRAGS FEDERAL MINISTRY OF AGRIC TO COURT

         Senator Bukola Saraki (Kwara Central)

 

Elites Network for Sustainable Development (ENetSuD), a Kwara-based Civil Society Organization, has dragged Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nigeria (FMARD) to Ilorin Judicial Division of Federal High Court of Nigeria over failure to account for how the money it received to execute 2017 Constituency projects nominated by Sen. Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Sen. Rafiu Ibrahim was spent in compliance with the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2011. The projects include: construction of Sheik Agbarigidoma-Oloje in Ilorin West, construction of Ero-omo Kilanko road in Ilorin South, provision of solar boreholes in various locations of Kwara Central Senatorial District, provision of solar street lights in various locations of Ilorin west LGA, provision of solar street lights in various locations of Ilorin East LGA, provision of solar street light in various locations of Ilorin south LGA, provision of solar street lights in various location of Asa LGA, grading and rehabilitation of rural roads in Asa/Ilorin west Federal Constituency, construction of solar street lights in Omu-Aran, provision and Installation of 300KVA transformer in New GRA, Olounkuse Area in Offa LGA, among others.

 
 
It will be recalled that ENetSuD wrote FOI letters to FMARD on 4th September 208 and sent a reminder on 13th November 2018, but FMARD failed to respond to the request of ENetSuD. ENetSuD also issued a 30-day pre-action notice on 18th December 2018 to inform FMARD of its intention to approach law court for redress if no response was given.


Due to failure of FMARD to comply with the notice, the registered trustees of ENetSuD filed a suit no FHC/IL/CS/28/2019 at Federal High Court Ilorin on 10th April 2019 against the Ministry. The Hearing on the case came up on 27th May 2019 where ENetSuD’s ex-perte application was granted.


After hearing S.H. Bayero Esq who held the brief of Lukman Raji Esq. (Counsel for ENetSuD), the presiding judge, Justice B.G. Ashigar, ordered and granted ENetSuD the leave to file a writ of Mandamus against FMARD. He also ordered that a copy of the order together with all processes filed in the suit be served on FMARD for responding within 7 days from the date of service. He then adjourned the matter to 24th June, 2019 for mention. Accordingly, ENetSuD has served the Ministry on 3rd June, 2019.
 
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