World Bank to delay details on Abacha’s loot spending
This followed the
bank’s decision to refer “portion of appeal” by Socio-Economic Rights and
Accountability Project (SERAP) to the bank’s archives unit for public access.
In a letter dated
August 8, 2016 and sent to SERAP, a copy of which was made available to The
Guardian yesterday, the World Bank said: “In response to your request under
AI4288, we would like to inform you that we are working on your request as
referred to the archives by the Access to Information Committee (AIC) in its
decision on the appeal and need additional time to provide a more comprehensive
response.
“We regret any inconvenience for this delay.”
The request for more
time was sequel to an appeal lodged with the bank by SERAP on February 5, 2016
that the bank’s decision on its initial request did not reveal “important
portions of the information requested for on how the Abacha loot was spent.”
The Guardian learnt
that this is the second time the World Bank is asking for additional time to
provide SERAP with details of spending on Abacha’s loot.
It would be recalled
that the bank in a letter dated October 15, 2015 and signed by Ann May of the
Access to Information Team had said: “In response to your request under AI3982,
we would like to inform you that we are still considering your request and need
additional time to provide you with a more comprehensive response.”
But SERAP’s Executive
Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, said the bank’s AIC in its decision on the appeal
in case number No. AI3982-A dated April 29, 2016 held that although the appeal
by the organisation was not filed within 60 days of the bank’s decision as
required by its Access to Information Policy, and that SERAP’s appeal
nonetheless “contains a request for additional information, not previously
submitted and which the bank has neither considered nor denied.
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