By Philip Yatai
The Transparency and Accountability in Totality Initiative (TinT), a CSO has urged Kaduna State Government and the State Assembly to fast-track domestication of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.
The organisation’s Senior Communications and Partnership Lead, Hajiya Jamila Dahiru said at a news conference in Kaduna on Monday, that the Act, if domesticated would strengthen citizens’ access to information.
Dahiru said that domestication of the FOI Act was part of the state commitment in its Open Government Partnership (OGP) Action Plan 2018 to 2020, which was not achieved.
She recalled that the state government had signed onto the OGP as part of its commitment to promote accountability, transparency, and citizens’ engagement in governance.
She said that the Bill was presented to the State House of Assembly in 2018 to make public records and information available to citizens, but yet to be passed.
According to Dahiru, some corrections have been effected on the Bill after the second reading and resubmitted to the Assembly in 2019 for consideration.
“We have been carrying out advocacies to relevant stakeholders including state Executive, Legislature, and non-state actors to achieve this milestone by making the state more open through access to information.
“The Act, if domesticated will strengthen transparency and accountability in governance processes by enhancing access to public information in line with the principle of OGP.
“We are, therefore, calling on the residents of Kaduna State, the state government, and members of the State House of Assembly to fast-track the domestication of this Act.
She explained that the push for the domestication of the Act was under the organisation’s “#KeepItOn” an advocacy project for the domestication of FOI in the state.
According to her, the project is being implemented with support by Palladium, through Gatefield, a public strategy and media group for chance, under USAID-funded Strengthening Civil Society and Local Engagement (SCALE) project. (NAN)
