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Lagos, Nigeria – Famend human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has issued a proper request to SAIPEM Contracting Nigeria Restricted, demanding a timeline for the completion of the $1.5 billion contracts awarded for the rehabilitation of the Warri and Kaduna refineries.
Falana, in a letter dated September 17, 2024, acknowledged that the contracts had been awarded in April 2021 by the Federal Authorities of Nigeria. The rehabilitation tasks had been divided into three phases with anticipated completion dates of 21, 23, and 33 months, respectively. Nonetheless, regardless of the preliminary timelines, the Nigerian Nationwide Petroleum Company Restricted (NNPC) has repeatedly postponed the completion dates with out clear updates.
Citing the Freedom of Info (FOI) Act, Falana demanded that SAIPEM disclose the anticipated completion dates for each refineries inside seven days, stressing the significance of transparency within the execution of contracts funded by public assets.
In his letter, Falana wrote:
“It has change into essential to request the Administration of your organization to furnish me with info on the completion dates of the rehabilitation of the Warri and Kaduna refineries. As this request is made beneath the Freedom of Info Act relevant in Nigeria, you’ve gotten seven days to reply.”
Falana, who can also be the Chair of the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Past (ASCAB), emphasised that SAIPEM, regardless of being a non-public entity, is sure by the FOI Act because it has acquired substantial public funds to execute the refinery rehabilitation mission. He referenced a 2022 Court docket of Attraction ruling, Coscharis Motors Ltd. v. The E.I.E Challenge Ltd/GTE & Anor, which held that non-public entities performing public capabilities or using public funds are topic to public accountability beneath the Act.
Falana additional warned that failure to supply the requested info would lead to authorized motion:
“Take discover that if you happen to fail to accede to my request, I cannot hesitate to method the Federal Excessive Court docket for authorized redress.”
The rehabilitation of Nigeria’s refineries has lengthy been a contentious challenge, with repeated delays elevating issues over the nation’s dependency on gasoline imports. Falana pressured that well timed completion of those tasks is vital for Nigeria to satisfy its home refining objectives and cut back the financial pressure of importing refined petroleum merchandise.
As of the time of submitting this report, SAIPEM Contracting Nigeria Restricted has but to challenge a proper response.
