Group Calls For Domestication Of Freedom Of Information Act In Edo

The Conference of Non Governmental Organisations (CONGOs) in conjunction with ResearcherNG Abuja has carried out a peaceful protest to press for the domestication of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) in Edo State.
The event, which was organized by ResearcherNG Abuja and funded by USAID with the help of Media and Public Mobilization campaign for the domestication of the Act, took the group to Edo State House of Assembly, where they told the lawmakers about the essence of the FOI Act.
The Policy and Governance Advocacy Officer ResearcherNG, Modupe Akinwale, said, “We are here to call for the domestication of this law because we are also aware that there is a court case that may be an obstacle to this domestication.
“Aside of that, we are requesting that you create a state specific pressure for Edo State to show that Edo state is open, transparent and accountable.”
The Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Comrade Ivy Adodo-Ebosele, who addressed the protesters on behalf of the Speaker, said the lawmakers were in support of their quest to get the FOI Act domesticated in Edo State.
She said, “Freedom of Information is something we all need. But you need to do it in form of a petition or a writeup. And you have to come back to see us, so you will come and present it to the Speaker. So that you can come and talk to members about your needs. We know we all need access to information and this Freedom of lnformation Act suppose to be domesticated,” she added.
The groups also marched to the premises of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Benin City, Edo State, where they said the rally was vital because the citizens have the rights to seek for information and should not be stopped.
The Chairman, Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities, Edo State, Comrade Ann Ojugo, said that it is worrisome that since the Freedom of Information Bill became an Act, it was not yet domesticated in Edo State.
Ojugo asserted the domestication of the FOIA will enable citizens to hold the government of the day accountable to its citizens.
She said, “The FOIA has been passed at the national level but in Edo State, it has not been domesticated. The Freedom of Information Act will place everyone on the same page and to know what the government is doing in Nigeria, what we need to know, the good effects of the governance, and what we also need to add to it if the government is not working well.
“Any society that is not informed, will be deformed. That is why this morning, we deemed it fit to come to this NUJ Press Centre to air our minds and views for you to lend your voice,” she said.
The Policy and Governance Advocacy Officer ResearcherNG, Modupe Akinwale, said that if the FOIA is domesticated in the state, it will benefit all, including media practitioners.
Akinwale said, “We are agitating for the domestication of the Freedom of Information Act. We started our campaign from the king square and we have also been to the state house of assembly where we had the Special Adviser to the speaker on Media advised us.
Responding, the Chairman, NUJ, Edo State, Festus Alenkhe, extolled the group for calling for its domestication in the state.
“We are appealing to the state government to put up a legal team in the ministry of justice and other stakeholders to join in ensuring that this FOIA that had since been passed into law is domesticated.
“We the NUJ are 100 percent with you in this struggle to make sure the bill is adequately domesticated in Edo state,” Comrade Alenkhe said.