Judiciary
By Anthony Isibor.
THE International Press Centre, IPC, in collaboration with Media Rights Agenda, MRA, and the Freedom of Information Unit of the Federal Ministry of Justice has resolved to establish an online Freedom of Information Platform for FOI Desk Officers to facilitate collaboration and information and experience sharing in order to enhance the effective implementation of the FOI Act.
The resolution was taken at a two-day workshop organized for FOI Desk Officers of Public Institutions on the establishment of a Freedom of Information online engagement platform.
The workshop took place recently in Abuja to build a collaborative mechanism among the FOI Desk Officers, and deepen strategies for ensuring effective implementation of the FOI Act as well as ensuring improved compliance with proactive publications and other obligations of Public Institutions under the FOI Act, with the theme “Facilitating Shared Learning, Experience Sharing and Best Practice Application in the Implementation of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011”.
According to the communiqué issued at the end of the workshop, it concluded that the public’s right of access to information as obligated by the FOI Act is vital to ensuring transparency and accountability in governance and deepening democratic practice in Nigeria and that it is therefore imperative that the right is fully respected and upheld in accordance with the provisions of the FOI Act.
Acknowledging the crucial role of access to information in a democracy, and accepting that there is need for transparency and accountability, the participants agreed that an online platform should be established for sharing ideas among FOI Desk Officers and interfacing with the public.
Other observations include:
The poor state of record-keeping in public institutions constitutes a serious obstacle to the effective implementation of the FOI Act as good record keeping and management are an essential foundation for access to information regime.
FOI Desk Officers of public institutions are critically important in the efficient and effective implementation of the FOI Act and as such, their positive attitude and understanding of the Act can make a major difference in ensuring that the Law achieves its objectives.
The effective implementation and enforcement of the FOI Act in all public institutions can enhance the legitimacy in government as it will ensure transparent and accountable governance and result in citizen trust for the government.
There remains a widespread lack of understanding of the FOI Act among many chief executives of public institutions who also do not fully appreciate the role that openness and transparency play in bringing about and sustaining an enduring democratic way of life.
Many public officers do not still understand the primacy of the FOI Act in relation to other instruments such as the Federal the Civil Service Rules, the Official Secrets Acts, the provisions of the Criminal Code and the Penal Code, as well as all other such policies and legislation that seek to prevent the disclosure of information.
Many public institutions do not appreciate the role that Information and Communication Technologies, ICTs, play in all aspects of freedom of information implementation as well as in facilitating and fostering access to information in general.
The lack or inadequate application of digital record-keeping tools by public institutions in their information and record gathering and management activities imposes an unnecessary burden on Desk Officers as it undermines their effectiveness in implementing or overseeing the implementation of the FOI Act.
They also recommended that for the Federal Government institution charged with promoting and publicizing the activities of Governments, including its laws and policies, the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture should actively promote the FOI Act in order to create awareness and sensitize the public about the Law and how to use it across various segments of the Nigerian population. It should do this along with other relevant institutions under its supervision such as the National Orientation Agency, NOA, the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN.
The workshop, which was funded by the European Union, EU, and was implemented under Component 4b: Support to the media of the EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria, EU-SDGN Project, had in attendance more than 60 participants drawn from among FOI Desk Officers of Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs in Abuja.
The workshop sessions consisted of a mixture of plenary presentations and discussions, group work in breakout sessions, report back in plenary and video documentary viewing.
– Feb. 16, 2022 @ 18:30 GMT |
A.I
Tags: Freedom of Information
