A Kwara-based Civil Society Organisation, Elites Network for Sustainable Development (ENetSuD), has berated the State House of Assembly over its refusal to pass the Freedom of Information bill, saying the legislative arm “refused to realize and admit that making legislation that will give information access to Kwara citizens is a public good”.
ENetSuD in a statement, issued by Saeed Tijjani, its Chairman on Media and Publicity, to commemorate the 2021 World Press Freedom Day with the theme: “Information as a Public Good”, said the bill which is a right guaranteed by Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Section 39 of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, was passed by the 8th KWHA members on 30th May, 2019 and transmitted to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for Assent on 20th June, 2019 under the watch of the 9th KWHA.
The statement added, “Consequently, the Governor requested for minor amendment of sections 4, 5(1), and 6 where he wanted seven (7) days to be changed to fourteen (14) days.
“He also requested for an amendment of section 10 where he wanted punishment to become a combination of 2-year prison term and 500,000 naira fine rather than an option of prison term or the 100,000 naira fine contained in the bill. The Speaker read the request from the Governor for minor amendment of this highly important bill at the Plenary of the KWHA on 23rd July, 2019.
“ENetSuD is dissatisfied to note that today, when UNESCO declared Information as a Public Good, marks the 650th Day that the Danladi-led KWHA has received the request of the Governor to do a minor amendment to the Kwara State Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill without any action to date, thereby making access to public information by Kwara citizens impossible.”
ENetSuD recalling the Governor’s 2020 New Year message which promised the fast passage of the bill, however, expressed disappointment that 16 months after, the statement has not materialised.
The CSO also said the non-passage of the bill cast shadow on the anti-corruption fights of the incumbent administration.
ENetSuD, meanwhile lauded the Governor for introducing Social Audit, which it said has exposed corruption in at least five (5) projects in the state.