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Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and prominent human rights lawyer, has raised concerns over the discontinuation of the public disclosure of statutory allocations to states and local governments, arguing that transparency in the management of public funds has declined over the years.
Falana made the remarks during an interview on Signature TV, on Friday, 11 June, 2026, while discussing accountability in public finance and the need for citizens to have access to information on government revenues and expenditures.
The legal practitioner recalled a period when monthly allocations from the Federation Account were regularly published, enabling Nigerians to monitor how much money was being distributed to different tiers of government. According to him, the practice was actively promoted during the tenure of former Finance Minister .
“Okonjo-Iweala as Minister of Finance was publishing statutory allocations every month. Why did it stop? Some governors went to the Accountant General’s Office and said you are inciting the people against us. Stop the publication,” Falana said.
He argued that making allocation figures public enhanced transparency and empowered citizens to demand accountability from elected officials. Falana suggested that access to such information allowed residents to compare the resources received by their states with the level of development and public services delivered.
The senior lawyer maintained that transparency remains a critical tool in the fight against corruption and mismanagement of public resources. He stressed that Nigerians have a right to know how much revenue accrues to each level of government and how those funds are utilised.
