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Dogara laments non-utilisation of FOI law

By Terhemba Daka, Abuja
19 October 2015   |   3:45 am
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has lamented that Nigerians have not been able to utilise the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act since it was passed into law four years ago.
Dogara

Dogara

Says parliament’s radio, TV stations coming
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has lamented that Nigerians have not been able to utilise the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act since it was passed into law four years ago.

A statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs to the Speaker, Mr. Turaki Hassan, on Sunday said Dogara spoke when he granted audience to the head of the African Commission on Human and People’s Right, Mrs. Tlakula Pansy, and the Director General of Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Prof. Adedeji Adekunle, in his office.

Dogara expressed regret that four years since the FOI was enacted, Nigerians are yet to apply it to push for open governance.
The Speaker maintained that the responsibility of creating awareness on laws passed by the parliament lies with governments, civil societies and citizens alike.
He decried the fact that Nigerians are not fully engaged to study their laws, calling for advocacy so that people can know and then be able to enforce their rights.

Dogara reiterated the commitment of the 8th Assembly to openness in governance as part of the social contract between the government and the governed.
He promised that the House Committee on Human Rights will work closely with such bodies to ensure that all areas not covered in the existing laws are addressed.

He, however, argued that while Nigeria is addressing the concern by the international community on the human rights of those caught in conflict in the North East, the right to life should not be sacrificed on the altar human rights.

“In democracy, even freedom has to be constrained to ensure they do not hinder the freedom of others,” he stated.
The Speaker disclosed that the National Assembly has begun work on establishing its own television and radio stations that will be dedicated to the working of the parliament. He said it is necessary to establish those stations because public media have become too restricted and expensive for the parliament.

Pansy said the visit to the Speaker was to further push for freedom of expression and rights of human beings the world over.
She said there was jubilation when Nigeria adopted the FOI Act and hopes the implementation of the Act doesn’t pose a daunting challenge.

“There has to be paradigm shift from the culture of secrecy in governance to one of truth and openness because it is the public trust and information held by government for the people. There is also need to ensure that public institutions comply with the FOI,” she said.
According to her, there is need to embark on advocacy for repeal of some laws inherited from the colonialists as they do not conform to the African Charter for the benefit of the people of the continent.

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