Few journalists admit reading FOI Act

Written by Abubakar Yakubu Friday, 29 July 2011 05:00

Only seven journalists out of a large number at a workshop in Abuja, yesterday admitted reading the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.

The journalists were responding to a question asked by Edetaen Ojo of Media Rights Agenda, who sought to know how many of them had read the act since it was signed into law by President Goodluck Jonathan two months ago.

Ojo, who presented a paper at a sensitisation workshop organised by the Nigeria Press Council and Nigeria Union of Journalists for journalists on the act, stated that it protects the confidential sources of journalists.

“This means that journalists can no longer be compelled to reveal their sources and the FOI Act supersedes the provisions of all acts, laws or regulations, except the constitution as well as those laws with constitutional flavours,” he explained.

He called on journalists not to abuse the law through reckless reports but to monitor its implementation by submitting requests for information to public institutions, private entities covered by the act as well as assess the level of compliances by public institutions with various actions mandated by the law, including issuing reports of findings.

According to him, the beauty of the act is that every person has a legally enforceable right of access to records, documents and information held by public institutions, subject to certain exemptions stated by the act, which must be given within seven days of request.

Speaking earlier, House of Reps member, Abike Dabiri, urged journalists to put the law to test for the country’s good, adding that it is now a crime to destroy information.

She said by testing the law, it will deepen democracy and commended the NPC as well as NUJ for organising the workshop for journalists, so that they are abreast with its challenges.

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