INTERNATIONAL ANTI-CORRUPTION DAY : AFRICAN UNION AMBASSADOR CALLS FOR DOMESTICATION OF FOI ACT BY STATE GOVERNMENT
The African Union Agenda 2063 Ambassador and President, Youth Advocates For Peace Justice and Empowerment Network (YAPJEN) Amb Timothy Nwachukwu Esq has called on State governments and Honourable members of State House of Assemblies across Nigeria to domesticate the Freedom of information Act in their various States.
Speaking to newsmen in Abuja at the international anti- corruption day organized by the Inter-agency Task Team, IATT, in Abuja, which had representatives from Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) Code of Conduct Bureau, (CCB) Public Complaint Commission (PCC), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) among others.
Amb. Timothy Nwachukwu Esq described the freedom of Information Act as a potent and powerful arsenal which encourages openness, transparency and good governance thereby complementing the efforts of the anti-graft agencies in stamping out corruption in Nigeria which has become endemic and a bane to development.
In his words, Amb Nwachukwu stated thus, the FOI Act provides that “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 any written form, which is in the custody or possession of any public official, agency or institution howsoever described, is established.”
“Indeed, Freedom of Information Act is a great tool and enabler to probe deep into issues and expose corruption, misappropriation, misconduct, , embezzlement and all sorts of malpractices in the process of public administration in Nigeria”.
“The freedom of Information Act when domesticated at the state level will put pressure on government officials to act properly knowing that any misconduct or act of corruption will be subjected to scrutiny and will ultimately be revealed”.
“Therefore, posterity beckons on the governors and state legislators to rise to the challenge of nation-building, through the entrenchment of an open government, where transparency and accountability becomes a culture among Nigerians”.
© Amb Timothy Nwachukwu can be reached via +2348097311499 or nwachukwutimothychukwuma@gmail.com.
