FOI Bill Must Not Die

IT is no longer news that the House of Representatives has rejected the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill presently before it, on the excuse that the Bill was poorly marketed by its promoters and that the media had excessive power. The House also complained of poor packaging and lack of adequate information among others.

RECORDS have it that the FOI Bill, which advocacy started in the 90s, has the longest history of bills that have come before the National Assembly.

Sponsors of the Bill, Hon. (Mrs.) Abike Dabiri and Hon. Eziuche ubani had argued, while presenting the Bill to the lower Chambers of the National Assembly, that for a country which professes zero tolerance for corruption, the FOI Bill was a major weapon.

UNFORTUNATELY, the Bill which has scaled through the second reading at the House of Representatives has suffered several set backs as some members who are against its passage, kicked vehemently against it.

THEIR grouse is hinged on the misconception that the Bill is aimed at giving the media too much powers, even though the proponents of the Bill are of the opinion that it is not a media Bill as feared by some of the lawmakers, but a bill for all professional bodies and sections of the society for the purpose of verifying information.

FURTHERMORE, the FOI Bill operates on the principle that those in public office hold official information in trust for the people, Abike and Ubani explained.

THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER is of the opinion that when passed, the FOI Bill will negate the official Secrets Act which is a Colonial Act designed to shield public officers from the preying eyes of information seekers and members of the society.

Essentially, the FOI Bill aims at guaranteeing transparency in public office. With an FOI law, documents relating to questionable contracts will become easily accessible and will ensure that public resources are judiciously used for the purpose they have been appropriated. This, Senator Uche Chukwumerije posited, will further deepen Nigeria’s democracy, pointing out that the official Secrets Act is the greatest tool employed to protect corrupt officials.

IN SPITE of the merits inherent in the FOI bill, we are constrained to believe that some members of the lower chamber of the National Assembly still hold tenaciously to their fears that the Bill will give more powers to the media and journalists if passed.

WHILE we support sponsors of the Bill and other positively minded lawmakers who have tried to allay the fears of their colleagues about the FOI Bill, we join the civil society groups and indeed, all Nigerians to call for a quick passage of the Bill in the light of its importance in ensuring good governance, accountability and transparency in public office.

ALTHOUGH THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER sympathises with the antagonists of the FOI bill for the sentiments expressed, we hold that lawmakers cannot and should not be allowed to override the collective good will and intentions of the FOI bill to build a democratically sound, virile, corruption-free society.

WE are therefore of the view that the Bill, which is equally to empower Nigerian citizens and their organisations to access public information with which they can hold government officials accountable, must not be allowed to die.

WHILE we commend the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole for his assurance that “the Bill will not die”, THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER equally commends the Freedom of Information Coalition for its struggles to ensure that the Bill is passed.

AS we hold the Speaker to his word, we urge other non-governmental organisations, opposition parties and labour organisations to join hands with the coalition to press for the passage of this Bill.

INSTEAD of plotting to kill the bill, we urge the lawmakers to make all necessary suggestions and amendments that will assuage their fears regarding the bill and make it an instrument that will protect the rights of every Nigerian and ensure the collective good of Nigeria as a nation.

THE FOI bill is too vital to the health and sustenance of our democracy to be treated in this careless manner.

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