How FOI Aids Accountablility, Good Governance - Activist

By Lucky Isibor

The Freedom of Information Act (FOI) has been described as a tool that aids citizens' quest for trannsparency, accountablility, good governance and democractic participation in Nigeria. 

A human rights activist and Deputy Executive Director of African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Comrade Leo Atakpu stated this while delivering a paper titled "Frequently Asked Questions"at an interactive dialogue with members of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), media practitioners and state level officials on the Freedom of Information Act held in Benin City on 29 September.

Group photograph of participants at the dialogue

The dialogue which is aimed at developing strategies to increase the level of proactive disclosure of information by government and action towards  the domestication of the FOI Act in Edo State, was organised by Gatefield, an Abuja based CSO in collaboration with the African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), under the Strengthening Civic Advocacy and Local Engagement (SCALE) project of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Atakpu disclosed that the FOI Act gives every person a legally enforceable right of access to records, documents and information held by government, government institutions and agencies adding that Nigerians and forigners legally resident in Nigeria enjoy this right as provided in the law.

According to the Deputy Executive Director of ANEEJ, "the FOI Act gives every person the right to apply for information and records held by government, government institutions and agencies as well as private bodies performing public functions, providing public services or utilising public funds, subject to certain exceptions.

"Before now, some existing Laws and Regulations made it an offence for civil servants and public officials to give information to members of the public without specific authorisation by senior government officials. The provisions of the FOI Act now override such Laws and Regulations and promote openness in Government. It makes no distinction between Nigerian citizens and non-citizens."

Representative of the Ministry of Youth and Gender Issues, Mr Victor Asiriuwa, who is a Director in the ministry noted that the FOI Act seeks to bring information closer to the people adding that the disclosure of composition of drugs contained in the accompanying literature in drugs was as a result of such Laws in the western world. 

He pointed out that access to information puts nation states on the progressive lane.

"It is because of access to information that the Western World are moving forward. Individually they're moving forward, the society is moving forward; the state and nations are all moving forward", Asiriuwa said.

In his presentation, Dr. Anthony Ewere of the University of Benin, pointed out that all private companies executing government contracts are subject to the FOI Act as they're expending government money adding that individuals and CSOs can request the Bill of Quantities (BOQ) of engineering contracts from such contractors with a view to ascertaining the scope of work and whether or not such scope is covered by the contractor in the execution of the contract.

The dialogue was attended by civil society organisations, journalists and representatives of Edo State Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies.