The above named youth forum, which is non partisan, non-religious, non sentimental and above all non profit oriented, humbly wished to demand for proper accountability from the Director of Personnel Management, Ika North – East Local Government Council since he took over the mantle of leadership from the immediate past elected leadership of the Council.
Sequel to the letter dated 5th of January, 2012 written and submitted to your office requesting that you publish in one Local, State and National Newspapers updating the people of Ika North – East in general and the youth in particular of the allocation received, Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and the Valued Added Tax (VAT) and your expenditure since you took over the administration of the council. We view your inability to grant this democratic and constitutional request of ours as undemocratic, awkward, insensitive, ignorance, unprogressive, power drunk, naïve and an intentional abuse of office.
As a guide to you on this unrelenting request of ours, we want to quickly remind you, incase you are ignorant of the freedom of information Act, 2011, which empowers bodies, organizations movements and individuals the rights to access public documents, records and information without any administrative hindrances or obstacles, thus, section 1(1) of it states that:
"Notwithstanding anything contained in any other Act, Law or regulation, the right of any person to access or request information whether or not contained in any written form, which is in the custody or possession of any public official, agency or institution howsoever described is established".
We have decided to go this length since you are ignorant of the simple logic that since the money under your possession belongs to the people of Ika North – East Local Government Area, not you and your family members alone or any other person no matter how highly placed such a person is, it becomes imperative for you to render the account of the council when demanded.
In case you are afraid to grant our request as a result of fear of sanction or sack, we want to quickly notify you with section 27(1) of the freedom of information Act which guarantees the protection of public officers in the disclosure of information from any public institution as it provides as follows;
"Notwithstanding anything contained in the criminal code, penal code, the official of secrets Act, or any other enactment, no civil or criminal proceeding shall lie against an officer of any public institution, or against any person acting on behalf of a public institution, and no proceedings shall lie against such persons thereof, for the disclosure in good faith of any information, or any part thereof pursuant to this Act, for any consequences that flow from that disclosure, or for the failure to give any notice required under this Act, if care is taken to give the required notice".
"In a society where the rule of oppression is being sustained and the scientific culture of the people is yet to be cultivated, illiterates, power mongers and corrupt leaders are philosophers"
Ika Youth Forum also known as IYF, a pressure group and the umbrella body of Ika Youths, in other not to allow this philosophy have its root in Ika kingdom still insist and demand that you publish the financial records of all the monies received from the day you assumed the leadership of the council that is April to December, 2011 with specific emphasis on the Federal Allocations, State Allocations, Valued Added Tax, Internally Generated Revenue and the sharing from Excess Crude Oil Account in one local Newspapers, one State and one National Newspapers. In addition to the publishing, we demand for the financial documents, records and reports of the council which should include the statements and interpretation of the council’s policy relating to the receipts, disbursement and expenditure of the public funds or other funds of the council in terms of contracts awarded (which may not be within your constitutionally stipulated power as a DPM), security vote, administrative and the overhead costs of the council since your assumption.
IYF which would always be at the forefront of demanding for good governance, accountability and a voice to the youth, and the "weaker vessels" for better living notwithstanding the first letter written to you in which you refused to grant our request not only within the fourteen days given to you but till date which has given birth to this letter, in the spirit of fairness and as guaranteed by section 4 of the FOI Act demand that you publish and provide us with the above mentioned records, documents, information and reports within seven (7) days starting from the day this letter is published.
"We are men and women of peace, God knows how we love peace, but we will never mistaken intimidation, oppression, sheer wickedness and humiliation for peace".
If after the expiration of the time given to you, you refuse to grant our constitutionally stipulated request, we shall be left with no better alternative than to publish the records, documents, information and report within our possession and also drag you before legally constituted agencies and even the law court as we also welcome criticism from sycophants, stooges and good citizens of Ika kingdom.
"A word is enough for the wise".
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