As the much anticipated two-day training workshop for Freedom of Information (FOI) Desk Officers of Public Institutions on the establishment of online FOI Platform commenced on Tuesday, February 1, 2022 in Abuja with the European Union and the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, tasking Government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to comply with the provisions of the FOI Act.

The European Union called on the Federal Government to enforce the Freedom of Information Act in all public institutions to reinforce legitimacy in governance by addressing sustainable development challenges and democracy deficits.

The organisation said it became necessary because of the lack of access to public information.

The demand was made by the representative of EU Delegation to Nigeria and Head of Section, Democracy, Governance, and Migration, Mr. Clement Boutillier, in Abuja during the workshop organized by the International Press Centre (IPC), Media Right Agenda (MRA) and the Freedom of Information Unit of the Federal Ministry of Justice.

The event with the theme, ‘Facilitating Shared Learning, Experience Sharing and Best Practice Application in the Implementation of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011’ was supported by the European Union (EU) and is being implemented under Component 4b: Support to the media of the EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) Project.

He said, “We would like to take this opportunity to encourage the government to take measures to strengthen the efficient implementation of the FOl act.

“I would like once again to stress the important role of the freedom of information act in fostering democracy and in promoting a culture of dialogue, and restate our commitment to supporting the safety and welfare of all individuals who rely on this act in the course of their duties.

“However, there are still Fol requests that go unaddressed and we must do all we can to address this challenge”, he observed.

According to the EU, implementation of the FOI Act is a “very important medium for the preservation and the strengthening of this right to freedom of information as an independent access to information are at the core of a pluralistic and open society while increasing the free flow of government information providing information to the public is helping the government being better understood by citizens and it we also it also reinforced its legitimacy in order to address development challenges and democracy.”

On his part, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, tasked MDAs on FOI compliance, saying that “the Act is a milestone in our National Legislative Agenda as it subjects certain records of Public Institutions as well as some Private Institutions to a disclosure regime in line with the ideals of open and transparent government.

“The Act provides a legal guarantee for access to information and requires public institutions to proactively publish certain classes of information as well as to release information upon request.

“Pursuant to the provisions of the Act, I call and encourage Public Institutions to comply with Proactive Disclosure obligations under Section 2 of the Act.

“However, I am pleased to state that this workshop will not only help in ensuring effective implementation of the Act but also improve desk officers’ compliance to their proactive disclosure obligations,” Malami said.

In conclusion, he said, “let me seize this opportunity to thank the International Press Council (IPC), Media Right Agenda (MRA) and the funding partner, European Union for the initiative to organize this workshop.

“We appreciate this worthy collaboration and look forward to further engagements designed to improve the implementation of the Act, which is a crucial tool in our national development efforts. This workshop is hereby declared open”, Malami said.

Meanwhile in his address of welcome, Mr Lanre Arogundade, the Executive Director of IPC said the two day engagement was expected to lead to the establishment of an online platform.

“This platform would serve as a catalyst for more proactive implementation of the FOI Act 2011.

“The platform would also serve as a permanent dialogue channel among public institutions to be updated with latest development on the implementation of the FOI laws,” Arogundade said.

Mr. Aregundade was represented at the event by the Program Officer at the IPC, Mrs Stella Nwafia.

Similarly, Mr. Edetaen Ojo, the Executive Director, MRA told the participants that they should remember that the would not remain FOI desk Officers or be in the public office forever.

“So it is in our collective interest to ensure that the FOI Act works, because one day we too may need to use it to get important information”.

The workshop continues today in Abuja.

Source: StreetReporters.ng