By Eriewa Johnson
An Abuja-based NGO, the Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) has said that the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act is being poorly implemented since its enactment.
The Chief Executive Officer, Mr Shittu Jubril, told newsmen in Abuja that the poor implementation of the law had affected transparency in governance.
Jubril said that Nigerians fail to effectively harness the provisions of the act to improve public access to information.
He said that it should be a source of concern to the nation that its citizenry do not have access to public information several years after the law was passed.
”I think that every Nigerian should really be worried. How can we have laws that are not effectively implemented?
”Several years after the enactment of the FOI Act, we are unable to use the provisions of the law to improve access to information.
”This development has negatively affected citizens’ input to governance, it is has also affected transparency in public offices,” he said.
Adding that the PPDC had carried out several sensitisation programmes aimed at improving citizens’ interest to seek public information.
Jubril said that the NGO had trained members of the public on how to diligently seek and obtain information from public offices.
He said that the organisation was also engaging government ministries and agencies on the need to avoid bureaucratic bottleneck in managing official information.
”Nigerians need to rise up to ask the right questions. We must take steps to enthrone transparency in the governance of our country.
”We should engage our leaders by using the FOI Act to demand Information.
”By doing so, transparency and accountability will be achieved to the advantage of the people,” he said.
