GIFT ROBERTS
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has urged President Muhammadu Buhari, to suspend the plan to spend $1,5 billion meant for the renovation of the Port Harcourt refinery until an impact assessment has been carried out on critical sectors, such as education and health.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday, by SERAP, it said President Buhari should redirect the $1.5 billion to support access to quality education for children coming from poor homes by implementing Safe School Initiative.
“Spending $1.5bn of public money to repair the refinery at a time of poor economic realities in the country and growing level of public debt would undermine the constitutional oath and commitments to provide public services and goods and increase debt-servicing costs.
“This proposed spending will mean less money for educating millions of out-of-school Nigerian children, providing access to clean water and healthcare for Nigerians including the elderly, or ensuring access to COVID-19 vaccines and providing poor Nigerians critical reliefs.
“We also urge President Buhari to redirect the $1.5bn to support access to quality education for poor children and to implement the Safe School Initiative in order to ensure a safe school environment for children in the country.
“We will consider pursuing appropriate legal action if the proposed spending is not immediately suspended, as recommended,” the group said.