10 YEARS OF FREEDOM OF FOI BILL IN NIGERIA: Jonathan, Ndoma Egba, Ayogu Eze, Fayemi, Dabiri-Erewa, Journalists Honoured.
10 years after the passage of the FOI bill , 4 members of the Parliament honored in their role to seeing to the passage of the bill:
Sen. Ndoma Egba, Sen. Ayogu Eze, Hon. Jerry Ugokwe and Chairman Nigerians in Diaspora Commission , Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa in Abuja.
Oru Leonard
The Freedom of Information Bill (FOI), signed by former President Goodluck Jonathan on May 28, 2011, after 12 years of legislative process which started in June 1999, became an Act of the Parliament. The Act elevated Nigeria to the position of the second country in West Africa after Liberia (2010), to have an FOI law.
The maiden edition of the National Freedom of Information (FOI) Award ceremony which took place in Abuja on Friday, December 10 2021, which also marked the 10th year anniversary of the FOI Act in Nigeria was organised by the International Press Centre (IPC), and Media Rights Agenda (MRA).
The FOI Awards, with the support of the European Union through component 4b Support to Media of the European Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN), honoured individuals, government establishments, and associations. The ceremony which was chaired by Hon. Justice Stella Anukam, Judge of the African Court of Human and Peoples’ Rights in Arusha, Tanzania, coincided with this year’s International Human Rights Day.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan who was the Special Guest of Honour at the ceremony, was conferred with a special recognition award, for his “patriotic and courageous” act of signing the FOI Bill into Law 10 years ago.
While receiving his award, President Jonathan who was represented by Ms. Ann Iyonu, Executive Director, Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, noted that, “access to reliable information is important for the growth of our society, considering the times we are in today. When citizens are well informed, they will not fall victim to the dangers of the growing spread of the fake news industry in our society.
“My administration enacted the FOI Act on May 28, 2011 in order to expand not only media freedom, but give people reasonable access to information on the activities of government for the good of the society. I believe that for a society to grow and develop in a sustainable manner, the people should be granted access to official information.
“The society will not function well if the people do not have adequate information about the way government business is conducted, because if the process of governance is not reasonably opened up, some people will generate too much false information that could create problems for the society”, he concluded.
In her opening remarks, Judge Anukam noted that the mandate of the Court, is to strengthen the human right protection system in Africa and ensure respect for, and compliance with the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, adding that it is indisputable that the enjoyment of human right including the right to information will be better enhanced when people are aware of their rights and can exercise them.
“The FOI Act is also particularly close to my heart, firstly because of my personal interest and belief in the right of people to access information which enables them to make informed decisions on various issues affecting their lives. I strongly believe that this is a good time, after 10 years of implementation, to take stock and examine the impact that the FOI Act has had in bringing about transparent and accountable governance, as well as in enhancing participatory democracy in Nigeria”, she stated.
In his welcome address, the Executive Director, International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos-Nigeria, Lanre Arogundade, disclosed that despite the virulent opposition the FOI vision received, on May 28, 2011, that vision of the prime movers became a reality and history was made when President Goodluck Jonathan, courageously and commendable signed into law the FOI Bill, after it had been passed by the National Assembly a second time.
“A decade on, I am happy to stand before you to say tremendous progress has been made, yet there are opportunities for more to be done using the FOI”, he said. “Despite the challenges of implementation both on the supply (government) and the demand (public) side, we are convinced that it is a milestone worth celebrating, more so as the occasion also affords us the opportunity to take stock and strategize on improving the implementation and usage of this important law in the years ahead”.
He congratulated all the award winners and expressed hopes that the gesture will encourage state institutions to do better in proactively disclosing information, and heeding FOI requests, adding that the award is also expected to spur the citizens, especially journalists and civil society activists to utilize the FOI Act more.
Others also awarded in recognition of their contributions towards the advancement of the right to information in Nigeria include; Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Hon. Jerry Ugokwe, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, Senator Ayogu Eze, Sam Amadi, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, Prof. Jibril Ibrahim, Mr. Osarodion-Ogie, Angela Agwawike, Tunde Fagbohunlu, Maxwell Kadiri, Bankole Dimeji, Atiku Sarki, Ibrahim Garba Maryam, Miss Mohammed Juliana, Obanla Olawale.
Institutions and organizations awarded include; Public and Private Development Centre, International Centre for Investigative Reporting, Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Bureau of Public Service Reforms, National Orientation Agency,British High Commission, USAID, Open Society Justice Initiative, European Union, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN).
