Nearly eleven years after it was first introduced at the House of Representatives and at other legislative arms of the Government, the FOI – Freedom of Information bill has finally been passed into law. In a statement made on Monday, the Presidency said that Goodluck Jonathan signed the Freedom of Information bill into law on Saturday.
The bill of information, which has now been called Right of Information bill 2011 allows any Nigerian access to public information including records kept by the government, public institutions or private bodies carrying out public functions for Nigerians and non-Nigerians in whatever form an applicant wants it, in so far as the preservation or presentation of the information remains unaffected.
The benefits and consequences of the signing of this crucial document are far reaching as it gives any Nigerian the right to walk up to any office and demand access to documents and records that would normally have been viewed as classified or confidential. In a country where every public servant seems to withhold document under his or her care and politicians allocate ridiculous sums of money for projects that hardly reach the half-way mark before they require more funds to continue, it will be very interesting to see what effects the freedom of information bill has. It also calls for journalists and other media sources to display professionalism in the way and manner in which they report news.
Ultimately it is expected that in few years time the Freedom of Information or Right of Information bill will go a long way in curbing corruption in the country. According to section 5 of the act, where information is applied for under the act, the public institution shall, within seven days after the application is received, make the information available to the applicant. A person who is denied access to any information may, however, sue the public institution within 30 days of the notice of denial and the court is mandated to hear the case summarily under the act. It is an offence punishable by three years imprisonment, under the act, for any public officer of a public institution to destroy, alter, falsify, or deliberately misrepresent information kept in their custody.
WE ALL PRAY THAT THIS OPPORTUNITY WILL BE USED TO THE GLORY OF GOD ALMIGHTY AND TO THE BUILDING OF NIGERIA AS A NATION . RESPONSIBLE AND INDEFATIGABLE PEOPLE , THE PROBLEMS OF NIGERIA IS NOW THE PROBLEMS OF EVERY RESPONSIBLE PEOPLE ; HOWEVER, PROBLEMS CHARED ARE PROBLEMS SOLVED. THANK GOD FOR GIVEN US AN INDEFATIGABLE PRESIDENT , A MAN WHO BELONG TO THE CAUCUS OF PROGRESS, ENLIGHTMENT , AND DEVELOPMENT. A MAN WHO WILL APPRECIATE INTTELECTUALS AND PROGRESSIVE IDEAS , A MAN WHO UNDERSTAND THE VOICE AND THE YAWNING OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITHIN HIS COUNTRY AND APPRECIATE THE EXTENSION OF THAT HANDS OF RELATIONSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP TO OTHERS . A MAN WHO KNOWS THAT INVESTMENT AT HOME IS A PIORITY . WE ARE THANKING YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR ABILITY AND METICULOUS CALCULATION IN GETTING ABLE AND RESPONSIBLE PEOPLE TO YOUR GOVERNMENT. PROPER ACCOUNTABILITY SHOULD BE GIVEN ATTENTION TO . PERMIT ME ALONG THE LINE TO SUGGEST THAT CERTAIN SPADE WORK SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT IN CONTACTING OUR FATHER, BECAUSE HE HAS CHILDREN LIKE US , OUR HUSBAND, OR OUR BROTHER IN PERSON OF GENERAL BABANGIDA. REGARDS THE MONETARY DEVALUATION. WHO GAVE ADVISE THEN AND WHAT WAS THE REASON , HAS THE REASON ACHIEVE THE PURPOSE IN NIGERIA ECONOMY??? HOWEVER , OUR HOPE NOW IS TO SEE THAT NAIRA GAINED ITS VALUE IMMEDIATELY EVERY WHERE . BELIEVE THAT NAIRA WAY DOWN WILL SURELY BECOME ITS WAY UP !! NIGERIA GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT RELENT HER EFFORT IN USING HER ECONOMICS ACUMEN, CUM POLITICAL IDEAS TO DRAW A POSITIVE LINE ACROSS THE APPRECIATION. IAM HAPPY GOD´S OWN COUNTRY IS HAVING HER INVESTMENT AND MANY RESPONSIBLE COUNTRIES AS WELL . IN THE LIGHT OF THIS WHY SHOULD NIGERIA NOTE NOT APPRECIATING IF NEWLY JOINED NATIONS ARE HAVING THEIR EURO EQUIVALENCY WITH GERMANY FOR INSTANCE , WHY SHOULD NIGERIA AS A COUNTRY NOT BRINGING HER CURRENCY NOTE THE SAME RATE WITH THESE COUNTRIES. SO AS TO ENHANCE THE PRESIDENCY GREEN LIGHT IN MORE JOB CREATION ,AND POSITIVE INVITATION TO THE FOREIGNERS REGARDS INVESTMENT. BRINGING ALL ECONOMICS FACTORS INTO ACTION COUPLED WITH OTHER RESOURCES -VARIABILITY. HONESTLY SPEAKING IT IS HIGH TIME NIGERIA DISREGARD FINANCIAL EMBARRASSMENT AND TAKE HER STAND.. NIGERIA NEED TO KNOW WHERE HER FOREIGN DEPT COME FROM AND WHAT EXACTLY IS THE BUSINESS THAT IS INCURRING DEPT FOR NIGERIA AS A NATION. THANKS PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS, YOU WILL BE GLAD YOU DID !!
good start, president jonathan. this bill was long overdue. give us more of that move
there should be more awareness about the strength of the foi bill to everi nigerian citizen.
Splendid, citizens can now unveil to secret deals that breeds corruption in government
wasssup