Group sues FG for failing to disclose cost incurred during World Cup

The Media Rights Agenda (MRA), a non-governmental, has sued the federal government over its alleged refusal to disclose the cost it incurred from Nigeria’s participation in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

The MRA, in a statement on Thursday, accused the federal government of failing to disclose the lists of Nigerian footballers, coaches, supporters, government officials and their aides who travelled to Russia, and the total cost to the government.

According to the statement, the group had written the secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), the ministry of youths and sports, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), attorney-general of the federation (AGF) in a letter dated June 8, requesting to be furnished with the information of the cost.

The organisation had requested details of those scheduled to travel to Russia under the different categories, including “all the officials who are part of the federal government’s delegation, their designations and institutional affiliations as well as the estimated duration of each person’s stay in Russia”.

It also asked for information on the expected date of departure from Nigeria, or other point of departure, and the expected date of return to Nigeria, or to some other location, as well as the total cost of each person’s travel to Russia for all aspects of the trip incurred by the federal government.

It also asked the government to provide details of their travel expenses, including flights, accommodation, visa costs, living expenses and other allowances, which will be covered by the federal government or through public funds, either in part or in full.

MRA also asked Boss Mustapha, Solomon Lalong and Amaju Pinnick to indicate in their responses whether budgetary allocation for Nigeria’s participation in the game, including the total cost to the government, has been provided for and approved in the 2018 appropriation act of the federal government and to specify the head of expenditure to which the costs were being charged.

It said, however, the respondents “willfully refused” to reply the letter of request.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the three suits filed.