Lawyer seeks stoppage of funds to Ondo Oil Commission over accountability

A Federal High Court sitting in Akure has adjourned till Mach 7, 2016 further hearing in a suit filed by an Abuja based legal practitioner, Mr Myson Adeyemi Nejo, seeking the court to compel the Ondo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission ( OSOPADEC) to furnish him with the records of funds made available to it from the Federation Accounts for the development of areas affected by pollution and devastation occasioned by oil exploration in the oil rich Ilaje area of the State.
Nejo, an indigene of Ilaje, also joined as respondents in the suit, Governor Olusegun Mimiko, the Attorney General of the State, the Minister of Finance and the Accountant General of the Federation.
The applicant had in his application told the court how he made spirited efforts, acting under the provisions of Section 2(3) (e) and 4 of the Freedom of Information Act 2011, by writing to the Commission as a bonafide indigene of Ilaje whose community had been devastated by oil exploration and its attendant effects to the Commission, which was set up to ameliorate the effects of the exploration seeking to be furnished with its roles in the area, but was denied the information sought.
He is thus asking the court to restrain the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission from further authorising the release of funds to OSOPADEC until it releases information or record as to its capital projects from 2010-2014 within Ilaje and Ese Odo local government areas of the state.
He is also requesting the court to compel OSOPADEC to state the exact locations of these projects; the stages of execution of each of the projects; amounts of money earmarked for each projects and how much has so far been expended on them.
He, therefore, prayed the court to restrain the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission from further authorising the release of funds to OSOPADEC until it releases information or record as to its capital projects from 2010-2014 within Ilaje and Ese Odo local government areas of the State.
In his ruling, the Presiding Judge, Justice Folasade Olubanjo adjourned matter till March 7, 2016 to allow the respondents to be properly served to enable hearing to commence in the suit.