By Chimezie Godfrey
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has commenced the sensitization of Nigerians on Freedom of Information Act (FOI) which is to expand their awareness to ask questions on other areas of service delivery beyond contracts and finance.
The Agency said the sensitization effort is aimed at enabling the citizens to know that beyond seeking for information on contracts, they could also explore other areas of service delivery.
This was disclosed during an interview on Wednesday, with Mr Elisha Sabo, Director, Reform, Coordination, and Service Improvement, (NOA) Headquarters, Abuja.
The Director disclosed that the Agency has gone very far in its efforts to educate Nigerians on the issue of the Freedom of Information Act.
“We have printed a booklet, with so many Nigerian languages for anybody to know about freedom of information act.
“And we have gone to the grassroots, which I was privileged to be in the states and I know the level of interface we have had with people on this Freedom of Information Act.
“We received training at Lagos, and when we came back, we assembled all our local government officers, we trained them and they went back to their LGAs and trained their staffs.
“NOA has War Against Indiscipline committees, we trained them to train people on their own local languages.
“The level at which this thing has gone is very far. I want to assure you that the agency has gone to various levels to enlighten people on this issue of freedom of information,” he said.
On how the Agency measures the level of response from the people, Mr Sabo said the agency has a department that is in charge of carrying out the survey.
“We have a full-fledged department here that carry the survey, and I headed the survey.
“We produced a booklet which was the outcome of our research to show that a good number of people know about this Act, its facts and figures on ground,” he stressed.
According to him, the agency is synergizing with other organizations to broaden the awareness of Nigerians on other areas of the FOI Act which they need to explore.
He revealed that in two weeks’ time, the agency would go further with the sensitization, admitting that the FOI grants people free access to information but that there is a limit.
Sabo decried the fact that people have limited knowledge about the provisions of the FOI Act, adding that the only area they interrogate is those that pertain to issues of contracts and finances.
“Most of the areas people ask questions is to make requests for issues of contracts, issues of finances of agencies and organizations, not knowing that it goes beyond that, that there are so many areas in which you can access information.
“That is why we want to enlighten people that the freedom of information Act, is not limited to finances and contract alone.
“There are so many other areas that you can seek for information. So, that is what we intend to do, we want to go beyond the issues of finances and contracts,” Sabo explained.
On complaints by media practitioners who face difficulties in accessing information from financial agencies and ministries, Sabo disclosed that it is an offence for any agency or ministry for not giving out information.
He added that it is an offence that is questionable in court and that such issues can be directed to the court.
Speaking on how NOA monitors the level compliance, he said the agency has established desk officers in every ministry, agency and organization.
He disclosed that NOA has formed an open government partnership with these agencies and ministries and gets feedback through the desk officers who report any complaint of no compliance.
Sabo who also mentioned that there are forms used in assessing the level of compliance assured that these agencies and ministries are complying with the provisions of the FOI Act.
He declared that in his opinion, the provisions of the FOI Act are perfect, but said that if there is a need for any amendment, it is the responsibility of the lawyers to do that.
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