Leadership Court Tells NASS to Amend FoI Act By: Iorakpen Ishu-Josef on July 25, 2013 - 6:04am In order to avoid the abuse of the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act 2011, a federal high court in Abuja has advised the National Assembly to further amend the law to specify reasons from applying for such information. Justice Gabriel Kolawole gave the advice while delivering a ruling in a matter by a non-governmental organization (NGO), Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN), which sought an order of mandamus to compel the special adviser to the president on media and publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, to disclose to it detailed information on the multi-million dollar contract awarded in April, 2013, to an Israeli company, Elbit Systems, to monitor internet communication in Nigeria. The judge said that the Act, it is now, creates legal rights without a corresponding legal duty. He held that the current FoI would create a situation where scarce public resources, time and energy are squandered in attending to a request for information which the person applying for it need not show cause. Consequently, the judge refused the application. According to him, the NASS should undertake a review of the Act to ensure that access to information is only made available to such applicants who genuinely need it for specific purpose(s).
Posted on: Thu, 25 Jul 2013 07:14:46 +0000
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