In a groundbreaking verdict issued by Honorable Justice Y. Bogoro of the Federal High Court in Lagos, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has been directed to honor the Freedom of Information request lodged by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre). This mandate entails providing a thorough breakdown of projects identified in Ese-Odo, Ilaje, Irele, and Okitipupa.
The HEDA Resource Centre, a civil society organization acting as the Incorporated Trustees, initiated legal action against the NDDC in suit FHC/C/CS/250/2021 due to the Commission’s failure to furnish requested information regarding the detailed breakdown of projects in Ese-Odo, Ilaje, Irele, and Okitipupa since 2021.
Dated February 17, 2021, HEDA submitted a Motion on Notice seeking a mandamus order to compel the NDDC to furnish the information initially requested on January 22, 2021.
The mandate sought by the applicant was clear: to ensure the NDDC adheres to the Freedom of Information Act by providing comprehensive details on the identified projects in Ese-Odo, Ilaje, Irele, and Okitipupa.
The ruling, issued decisively by Honorable Justice Y. Bogoro, obliges the NDDC to comply with the information outlined in the applicant’s request dated February 17, 2021.
Additionally, HEDA Resource Centre’s report in November 2020 highlighted 29 abandoned projects worth billions of Naira in Ondo State, with Ilaje Local Government Area having 12 projects, Okitipupa LGA with 11 projects, Ese-Odo LGA with four projects, and Irele LGA with two projects.
HEDA’s investigation into the contractors involved revealed pertinent details, including their corporate registration documents and directorship. Notably, some contractors disclosed that they resorted to loans to execute projects, but the NDDC failed to remunerate them as agreed, leading to project abandonment.
This ruling underscores the values of transparency and accountability enshrined in the Freedom of Information Act, marking a significant triumph for HEDA Resource Centre’s pursuit of vital information regarding the project breakdowns identified in Ese-Odo, Ilaje, Irele, and Okitipupa from the Niger Delta Development Commission.