Security agencies rank low as NERC lead institutions in FOI compliance, transparency ranking

The nations’ security agencies ranked poor in terms Freedom of Information (FoI) law compliance and transparency while  the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) is leading all federal government agencies in full compliance and transparency. This is contained in the annual public sector ranking on the FoI compliance and transparency, released, on Thursday in Abuja which […]

The nations’ security agencies ranked poor in terms Freedom of Information (FoI) law compliance and transparency while  the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) is leading all federal government agencies in full compliance and transparency.

This is contained in the annual public sector ranking on the FoI compliance and transparency, released, on Thursday in Abuja which showed that NERC scored 67.50 points to emerge top.

The report, “National Freedom of Information Compliance Ranking”, also showed that the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission  and the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) were tied with 57.5 points to share a joint second position.

The ranking and the report was carried out by the Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) in collaboration with the Connected Development (CODE), BudgIT, Basic Rights Watch (BRW), Media Rights Agenda (MRA) and the Right to Know (R2K).

Speaking on behalf of the groups, the CEO of CODE,  Hamzat Lawal, said that 203 public institutions inclusive of the security sectors were ranked based on selected parameters stipulated by the Freedom of Information Act 2011.

According to him, the rankings which have been independently hosted by the PPDC annually on September 28, since 2013 to commemorate the International Rights to Know Day and is aimed at entrenching accountability and  transparency in the public and security sector institutions by ensuring Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs), liberate data and citizens have timely and unrestricted access to information.

“In April 2019, PPDC in its effort to improve the rankings by giving it more visibility and credibility reached out, and formed partnerships with (pilot) Civil Society Organizations who make use of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and work in the transparency and accountability space.

“This collaboration has now given birth to the National Freedom of Information Ranking and a total of 203 public institutions inclusive of the Security Sectors were ranked based on selected parameters stipulated by the Freedom of Information Act 2011,” he said.

Lawal said the parameters for the rankings were proactive disclosure, responsiveness to requests for information (Timeliness), level of the disclosure, FOI training, FOI desk officers and FOI annual reporting.

He said, “As other public institutions continue to strive for full proactive disclosure of information, the same cannot be said about the security sector agencies, who ranked poorly this year as a result of a lack of compliance to the FOI Act (2011). The Federal Fire Service ranked higher than other security sector institutions with a low point of 22.5 keeping them ahead of the pack.”

There was also a panel session themed, “Data, Institutions and Good Governance” urging the government to prioritise data processing and collection for national development.