Many journalists yet to study Nigeria’s FoI Act
“You should understand that our job is so demanding. Notwithstanding, I should say we do not have any excuse not to have read the FOI Act, in fact , it should be considered our daily companion but am not sure many of our colleagues like myself have read it. It’s so bad that we have […]
“You should understand that our job is so demanding. Notwithstanding, I should say we do not have any excuse not to have read the FOI Act, in fact , it should be considered our daily companion but am not sure many of our colleagues like myself have read it. It’s so bad that we have not anyway but I believe we will be compelled by challenges on the job” Ahmed Idris, a reporter with an Abuja-based publication told Sunday Trust.
In a similar response, another sub-editor/reporter for an Abuja based daily newspaper, Mr Martins Onu, in a guilty manner told our reporter that it was regrettable that he has not actually made an attempt to read the FoI Act even though he ought to be reading it as a Bible. “I must not deceive you. I have not taken my time to read the FoI Act. Not that I don’t have a copy of it, but the problem is that I needed time to sit down and read it. Sure, we should all read it as journalists because it’s what we have for many years been lobbying for and with this Act, we can now access much information from government and its agencies. Yes, we need to read it but I have not.”
On his part, Shehu Danjuma, who claims to own a weekly magazine called ‘The Third Eye’ in Lokoja, Kogi State, said he actually obtained a copy of the Act last week and had not read it, but he hoped to, when he is less busy next week. “I have not read it, but I just got a copy and by next week I hope to go through it. The Act is a must read for us all. Every journalist must read it.
Mr Bimbo Adesanya, a former political reporter for Compass newspaper in Lagos has only read the preamble to the Act and since then he has not had the opportunity to read the Act itself. ”I can only tell you that I have read the preamble to the Act, but I have not gone through it. I can’t say why I just kept it somewhere in my study hoping to read it but till now I have not, I only read the preamble. But it’s a must read for me and for any other journalists so I can’t run away from it. I will read it.”
However, when some of the journalists our reporter spoke to have not seen nor read the Act, this journalist, Shamsudeen Abubakar, who claims to have worked with The Path newspaper in Sokoto State, the New Nigerian and now freelancing with a daily newspaper in Abuja said he has read the FoI Act several times.
He said, ‘’why not, I have read it several times. I understand many of us in this profession don’t read. It’s a pity anyway that we write for people to read, but we hardly read on our own. I’m not surprised that you asked me if I have read the FoI Act, because we don’t read much, but I’ve read it several times,” he said
It was shocking to know that only few journalists have read the Freedom of information Act since it was passed last year by the National Assembly. Even though Sections 1 and 3 of the Act provided for the rights of access to records and request for access to records, not many journalists have taken advantage of opportunities the FoI Act has placed before them in the discharge of their duty.
The Act, which gave journalists unhindered access to information at the disposal of government and its agencies suffered several setbacks before it was eventually passed last year by the National Assembly because it was obvious that no government or public institution in the country have many place to hide information of public interest from journalists.
Section [ 1] of the Act reads: Notwithstanding anything contained in any other Act, Law or regulation, the right of any person to access or request information, whether or not contained in written form, which is in the custody or possession of any public official, agency or institution however described, is established. The section [3] of the same Act also provides that: Any person entitled to the right of information under this Act, shall have the right to institute proceedings in the court to compel any public institution to comply with the provisions of this Act.”
Before its passage into law, disclosure of certain information, particularly those that are categorized as ‘classified’ were met with adverse consequences. Notable journalists like Tunde Thomson and Nduka Irabor of the Guardian newspaper during the Buhari/ Idiagbon regime were held and jailed for publishing what the military authority then categorized as classified information. Many other journalists suffered same fate in the hands of various governments in the country.
The FoI Act makes public records and information more freely available. It provides for public access to public records and information, protects public records and information to the extent that it’s consistent with the public interest and protection of personal privacy. It as well, protects serving public officers from adverse consequences for disclosing certain kinds of official information without authorization and establishes procedures for the achievement of those purposes.