A rights group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to reduce the cost of governance and ensure transparency and accountability as part of measures to tackle economic recession.
The organisation disclosed this in a letter dated November 21, 2020 and signed by SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
The statement said transparency and accountability measures would save money, address projected adverse human rights impacts of the recession and fast-track the economic recovery process.
The statement reads, “This economic crisis provides an opportunity to prioritise access of poor and vulnerable Nigerians to basic socio-economic rights, and to genuinely recommit to the fight against corruption. The country cannot afford getting back to business as usual.
“The President should put the country’s resources at the service of human rights, and to support the less well-off to enjoy an adequate standing of living through cutting the cost of governance and implementing bold transparency and accountability measures in your government’s response to Nigeria’s second recession in five years.
“Implementing human rights, transparency, and accountability measures would save money, address projected adverse human rights impacts of the recession, and fast-track the economic recovery process. It is not too late to take urgent measures that would put the country’s wealth and resources to work for the common good of all Nigerians.
“Decades of mismanagement and corruption, and deep-seated deficiencies in public financial management have directly contributed to higher levels of borrowing and public debts, and consequently, the economic recession. Successive governments have squandered the promise afforded by the country’s natural wealth and resources.”
