Lateef Fagbemi, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, has highlighted the importance of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act in fostering transparency and accountability within governance.
Gatekeepers News reports that he made these remarks during an event held in Abuja to mark the 2024 International Anti-Corruption Day, which was organised by the Centre for Transparency Advocacy in partnership with the Ministry of Justice.
The event, themed ‘Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity,’ underscored the role of youth in combating corruption. Represented by Godwin Garba, the head of the FOI unit at the Ministry, Fagbemi pointed out that the FOI Act has significantly contributed to enhancing transparency in government operations and is a crucial tool in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to address corruption .
“The Freedom of Information Act has paved the way for transparency in the conduct of government businesses and where the public sector can be held accountable,” he said.
“The state high courts and federal high courts, in a plethora of cases, have given landmark rulings and judgments in FOI cases in order to promote the implementation of the act.”
On ease of accessing public information using the act, Fagbemi said the onus is on the office of the AGF to ensure that the law is popularised among government institutions.
“In the area of the citizens, the act also expects CSOs to get the citizens involved on how to use the act,” he said.
“On our side, we found out that the majority of the Nigerian citizens are not even aware of the act, and that has been a major bottleneck to its implementation.
“In the government space, the AGF has tried as much as possible to release guidelines, train so many desk officers, and even the CEOs of various government offices on how to use the act and on how to release information. Their response has been encouraging.”
