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OPENING REMARKS OF THE PRESIDENT OF SENATE, SENATOR KEN NNAMANI
AT THE PUBLIC HEARING OF FREEDOM OF INFORMATION BILL BY THE SENATE
COMMITTEE ON INFORMATION
ON APRIL 26, 2005
I am highly delighted to partake in the events of the
public hearing by the Senate Committee on Information on this all
important Freedom of Information Bill.
Perhaps public hearing is one of the most important
activities of the National Assembly. My colleagues and I place a high
value on such a gathering as this, where knowledgeable and well-meaning
Nigerians come together to share insights and experiences on issues of
public interest. Committee deliberations and public hearings are the hubs
of legislative business. What we do in Chambers is based on evidences and
policy considerations generated by the work of Senate Committees during
public hearings. Therefore, if we care seriously about the quality of
legislative output we must strengthen the process and mechanism of public
hearings.
My colleagues and I are working hard to put the Senate of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria on a new pedestal. We are re-vitalizing
law-making in Nigeria. The mandate we received from Nigerians is a mandate
to transform the social and economic conditions in which the people make a
living. Poverty and economic stagnation are crises of under-development
which require quality legislative actions. We are determined to launch an
expansive legislative program that draws on the experiences and
intellectual resources of the Nigerian peoples to transform the
institutions and regimes that hinder economic and social development.
This great vision requires civil society collaboration.
Today, collaborative governance is the standard practice. Public hearings
are opportunities for stakeholders to contribute towards a common search
for solution. This is why I take this public hearing very seriously. I
expect we will brainstorm and come up with a blueprint to guide the
passage of this Bill.
I am a believer in freedom of information. The new economy
is built on information. Without information we cannot translate
aspirations for prosperity and good governance into reality. Information
is now a huge income earner for developed and developing countries alike.
We cannot keep information trapped in officialdom if we intend to be
competitive in the globalizing economy.
I also believe that information is important for democratic
governance. We now know that economic development depends largely on the
quality of institutions that coordinate political and economic
interventions by the state and private actors. The quality of institutions
is measured by their degree of transparency and accountability. As a
matter of democracy and service delivery, people need information to
engage with state institutions in a manner that provides incentives for
good performance.
The right to know is a fundamental right. But, more than
that, the right to know has instrumental value. People can only hold their
leaders and institutions accountable when they have the information about
how government works. Constructive criticism is impossible if facts and
figures are under locks and keys. To unleash the potential for good
governance we need to unlock the storehouse of public information to
enable the people of Nigeria hold their representatives accountable.
Let me add that in unlocking the storehouse of information
we should pay particular attention to our historical and social contexts.
We need a freedom of information bill that addresses the peculiar problems
we face as a developing country. We are not exceptional in the comity of
nation. Nevertheless, we have our uniqueness. Both our commonalities with
other countries of the world and our uniqueness should guide today’s
deliberation on the Freedom of Information Bill.
Ladies and gentlemen; it is my pleasure to declare this
public hearing open.
God bless you.
Senator Ken Nnamani
The President of Senate |
