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COURT BARS DELTA GOVT FROM FURTHER RELEASE OF FUNDS TO XTIAN, MUSLIM PILGRIMS WELFARE BOARDS PENDING…..
By Nyerhovwo Oghenetejiri
Delta State Government has been ordered to stop further release of funds to the Christian and Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards pending when it has provided detailed information regarding its comprehensive account of monies so far allotted the Boards as well as criteria for selecting past/potential/prospective pilgrims for sponsorship to Edun Ogheneovo Olukunle Esq.
Delivering judgment in Suit No. W/437/2013 between Edun Ogheneovo Olukunle Esq, Applicant and the Governor of Delta State, Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Board and the Attorney-General of Delta State as Respondents, His Lordship Justice G.B Briki-Okolosi declared that the failure of 1st–3rd Respondents to provide the Applicant with the information requested is a breach of the provisions of sections 2,3,4,5 and 6 of the Freedom of Information Act 2011.
According to the judgement, “in conclusion this suit succeeds in part. In the light of the findings above, I hereby grant the declarations sought in reliefs A,B and F and refuse reliefs G,D,E and H and same are hereby struck out. In refusing relief H, it is hereby directed that all further releases/funding to the 2nd and 3rd Respondents (Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board and Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Board) be and are hereby to cease until the Order to provide information in relief F is complied with within two weeks of this order.”
It could be recalled that the Applicant has approached a High Court sitting in Warri to make, “a declaration that by virtue of the provisions of 2,3,4,5 and 6 of the Freedom of Information Act 2011, the 1st to 3rd defendants(being officers/bodies)are under obligation to provide the Applicant with the information requested for relating to the income, expenditure, sponsorship of pilgrims and legal basis for the establishment of 2nd and 3rd Respondents as particularly spelt out in the Applicant letter dated September 13, 2013”.
The Applicant also sought for “a declaration that the failure of 2nd and 3rd Respondents to provide the Applicant with the information requested is a breach of provisions of section 2,3,4,5 and 6 of the Freedom of Information Act 2011.”
The Court granted these reliefs sought just as it also ordered the state government not to release monies to the Christian and Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Boards until the order of giving the requested information to the Applicant is adhered to.
