Domesticate FOI Act, Kogi govt urged

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has called on the Kogi state government to domesticate the Freedom of Information Act in order to promote citizens engagement and empowerment for good governance.

Director of NOA, Kogi state directorate, Mallam Mohammed Othman Abdullahi, made the call on Thursday during stakeholders engagement on evaluating the freedom of information act and its impact on national development organised by the agency in Lokoja.

Abdullahi, who was represented by deputy director in the agency, Rev. Danjuma Ageni, stated that the objective of the meeting was to create and facilitate a culture of openness as well as transparency in government business.

He noted that through the collaboration of other critical stakeholders, NOA would continue to enlighten the citizens about the rights and responsibilities under the FOI, Act

“The meeting is also expected to enlighten the populace about open government principles and how it can be used to make governance responsive to citizen needs” he said.

In a paper presented by head of programme, Prime FM , Lokoja, Mr Adejoh Ibrahim, titled “Freedom of Information Act and its impact on national development,” Ibrahim lamented  that democracy which entails inclusiveness has suffered as a result of inherited culture of secrecy which ministries parastatals and organisations have imbibed.

He added that the promulgation of FOI, Act has come to wipe away oath of secrecy in governance, urging the citizens to take the advantage of the Act to ask questions in order to compel the government and those holding public positions on trust to do the right things in the interest of development.

“This is the only law accessible to the citizens and empowered them to ask questions that bothered on issue of governance” he said.

In his remark, the executive director, Conscience for Human Right and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR), Mr Idris Miliki advised Kogi state government to make functional websites of ministries and parastatals to show the level of transparency and accountability.

“If a government is transparent in all its dealings, there is no need to be afraid of divulging information to the general public, it will even reduce speculations and fake news on them activities of government,” he noted.