Civil group puts Nigeria's new FOI law to test
A civil society group in Nigeria has filed the first access to information application to five state agencies and the federal government, under the new Freedom of Information (FOI) law, approved by President Goodluck Jonathan shortly after taking office recently.
With President Jonathan’s move, Nigeria has now become the second West African country to adopt a comprehensive right to information law.
“The new Freedom of Information Act will consolidate the existing legal arsenal established over the years to curb corruption and create an accountable government. It will contribute to empowering Nigerian citizens to exert some degree of control over the actions of their leaders and monitor the use of public resources,” said the free speech advocacy group, ARTICLE 19.
The Nigeria Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (NARCO) is requesting information and access to records, regarding the case of 34 managers of the Gateway hotels in Abeokuta, Ota and Ijebu-Ode.In a statement, the Nigerian pressure group says: “the case is now ripe to explore further the determined struggle to get justice for the workers as well as ensure the sacrosanctness of the rule of law. “
With President Jonathan’s move, Nigeria has now become the second West African country to adopt a comprehensive right to information law.
Listen to this report by WADR’s Frank Sainworla on how the new FOI law in Nigeria is beginning to be tested.
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