The National Orientation Agency, NOA, Abia State Chapter made a clarion call for the Implementation of the Freedom of Information Act, (FOIA) saying that the task of providing good leadership that promotes principles of freedom of speech, the rule of law, and social justice has posed a serious challenge in the present day society.
Speaking on the theme: ‘Towards Effective Sensitization and Implementation of Freedom of Information Act, (FOIA), Dr. Ngozi Okechukwu, the Director, NOA, Abia State Chapter, during an advocacy visit to Nigerian Union of Journalists, (NUJ) press center, Umuahia, expressed great delight in campaign on the promotion of the
Acts.
She explained that the FOI Act which was signed into Law in Nigeria, on May, 28,2011, fundamentally provided unrestricted, public access to certain public records, as well as information through what she described as “comprehensive framework”.
According to her, “the Act aims to make public records and information more freely available, provides access to public records and information, protects public records and information to the extent with the public interest and the protection of personal privacy.
“It protects serving public officers from adverse consequences for disclosing certain kinds of official information without authorization and establishes procedures for the achievements of those purposes.”
Speaking further, Abia National Orientation Agency boss posited that the constitutional provisions that guaranteed access to information originated from Section 34 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, which states that “Every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including the freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impact ideas and information without interference”.
“Hence Nigeria is one of the few countries in Africa with a constitutional provision guaranteeing access to information and a specific law which further reinforces the provision with procedures and penalties for non-compliance to access to public information in the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).”
Furthermore, she pointed out that the FOI Act made it compulsory for the public institution to keep and maintain records of their activities to enable public access to “these records and thus encourage transparency.
The agency boss said: “That Act requires that public institution make available to the public on its own initiative sixteen (16) different heads of information known as ‘Proactive disclosure’ such as description of organization and responsibilities of the institution, including details of the programs and functions of each division, branch and department, information related to receipt of expenditure or other funds;
“Documents containing the names, salaries, titles and dates of employment of all employees and officers of the institution; documents containing the rights of the state, public institutions or any private person(s); Lists of files containing applications for publications prepared by independent contractors for the institution, etc”.
Responding, the chairman of NUJ, Abia State Chapter commended the agency for the sensitisation, while urging them to keep the light aglow.
Comr. Ndukwe, in his remarks called for support for the media in all ramifications particularly in providing them with access to public information and welfare, noting, “if it is about the Freedom of Information Act it any other thing in the society we are available”, he assured.
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