Brave Dickson
Some lawyers across the federation have said enough is enough to public institutions who refuse to comply with the Freedom of Information Act, threatening immediate legal actions against them.
The decision to decisively deal with non-compliant public institutions came at the end of a worship put together by Media Right Agenda in Kaduna State with support from various international agencies.
Executive Director Media Right Agenda, Mr Edetaen Ojo who read the communique on behalf of the advocacy NGO mandated its legal response team comprising over 40 pioneer lawyers to ensure the effective implementation of the FoI Act in their domiciled states.
The communique further enjoined its lawyers to swiftly provide legal services in areas where public institutions failed to disclose necessary information as requested by an applicant.
It added, “Our team of legal response lawyers should also monitor compliance to the Freedom of Information Act by public institutions across the states.”
Speaking with our correspondent, a member of the legal response team in charge of Rivers, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom states, Barr Kingdom Chukwuezie said the training acquired at the workshop has emboldened them to make the FoI Act effective.
Barr Chukwuezie said, “we are ready to ensure that public institutions become transparent and accountable at all times.
“We are to give full implementation to this Act to make sure that members of the public get the information it desired from public institutions.”
He therefore expressed readiness to render legal services to any applicant whom public institution refused to disclose information to.
The Act which was signed into law by former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011 empowers applicant to seek compliance with the Act through the court where a public institution refused to disclose information requested for within seven days of such application.
