In October 2023, it came to light through a coalition of civil society organizations (CSOs) that no fewer than 175 federal ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) failed to address requests submitted under Nigeria’s Freedom of Information Act (FOI). Approximately 56,000 abandoned projects nationwide and numerous inquiries by CSOs and journalists regarding these projects persistently remain unanswered.
The failure of these MDAs to respond to FOI requests breaches the rule of law and questions their fiscal accountability and transparency processes. Disregarding this law not only contributes to the poor management of scarce public funds but also undermines democratic values.
The refusal to respond to FOI requests must be discontinued because it violates citizens’ information rights. To address this problem, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) should prioritize educating the citizens about what the FOI Act is to improve civic participation. Government agencies must strengthen administrative oversight regarding FOI requests.
To read more, check the full article on TheCable.
Photo from Medsile via Iwaria.