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President Obasanjo Shuns MRA's Request To Present
FOIB to National Assembly
Lagos, Wednesday, August 25, 1999:
President Olusegun Obasanjo has shunned a request by Media
Rights Agenda (MRA) asking him to present a freedom of information
legislation to the National Assembly for enactment as part of his
anti-corruption crusade.
In a letter dated July 19, 1999, written on his behalf by
his Personal Assistant, Mr. Ojo A. Taiwo, and addressed to MRA’s
Executive Director, Mr. Edetaen Ojo, President Obasanjo advised Media
Rights Agenda to forward the draft Access to Public Records and
Information Act directly to the National Assembly for consideration.
By a letter dated 10 June 1999, MRA had requested President
Obasanjo to present the draft legislation to the National Assembly for
consideration, and support efforts to secure its enactment.
The draft legislation, prepared by Media Rights Agenda, the
Civil Liberties Organization (CLO) and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ),
in consultation with other civil society organizations as well as
governmental agencies, gives members of the public a right of access to
information held by government officials or departments and establishes a
framework for the release of such information to members of the public
requesting it.
MRA based its request to General Obasanjo on the
President’s avowed commitment to fight corruption in Nigeria and his plan
then to present an anti-corruption Bill to the National Assembly for
consideration.
The organization had argued that accountability and
transparency in Government were crucial to any meaningful anti-corruption
crusade, observing that accountability and transparency will not be
possible if citizens have no right of access to information held by the
state or its agencies or if no mechanism exists for giving practical
effect to the right to freedom of information.
It expressed the hope that General Obasanjo would give
vigorous support to the efforts to secure the enactment of the legislation
as part of his anti-corruption crusade.
But in his terse two-paragraph response, President Obasanjo
merely acknowledged receipt of the letter and advised that the draft Act
be sent to the National Assembly for its consideration, without making any
commitment in support of its enactment.
Contact:
Maxwell Kadiri
Legal Officer
Tel. & Fax: 01-4930831
E-mail:
mra@mediarightsagenda.org
mra@rcl.nig.com |
