Lawyers under the auspices of Firma Advisory, at the weekend, held a sensitisation workshop on Freedom of Information Act (FOI) for representatives of grassroots and security agencies.

Over 200 participants, including representatives of the police and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) attended the workshop, which took place in Jikwoyi community, Abuja.

Managing Partner of the group, Chinenye Uwanaka, said the workshop was part of the on-going effort to ensure that the society was highly engaged and mobilised around the FOI Act.

Uwanaka told participants that the FOI Act gives every person a legally enforceable right of have access to records, documents and information held by government institutions and agencies.

It also involves access to private bodies that perform public functions, providing services or utilising public funds.She said the law serves as a means for citizens to hold their government accountable and ensure that its activities are conducted transparently. Uwanaka stressed that the FOI Act gives citizens the right to demand records, or information from public institutions, arguing that modern democracy only survives when citizens have access to government records and can hold them accountable.

Two official of the group, Anietie Phillip and Onyema Nneamaka informed the community that every person, irrespective of gender, age, and ability to request records, or information from any public institution, could use the FOI Act.
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