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It’s Time to Implement FOI Act to serve its purpose –Adegoke By Kunle Bakare

An Ibadan chief, Oloye Adegboyega Adegoke, has declared that it is now time to ensure implementation of the Freedom of Information Act signed into law a few years ago.
Adegoke, who is the Bada Balogun of Ibadan land, made this disclosure while speaking in Ibadan recently.
First Weekly recalls that the FOI Act, which was signed by the administration of former president Goodluck Jonathan in 2011, granted citizens the legal right to access information, records and documents held by government agencies and other agencies.
It was gathered that the FOI Act has not been fully implemented in most of these agencies.
Adegoke however, declared that there is an urgent need to implement the act, so as to serve its intended purpose by making public records and information available to citizens.
He spoke during the commissioning of a radio station, Solutions 93.9 FM held at Oke Ado area of Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
Present at the events were the Deputy Governor of Oyo state, Engineer Rauf Olaniyan, former Governor of the state, Senator Rasidi Ladoja, Senator Teslim Folarin, Barrister Safaradeen Alli, Chief Lowo Obisesan and immediate past President of Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) Chief Yemi Soladoye.
Others are Prince Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye, wife of the Olubadan of Ibadan land, Olori Rasida Adetunji and Chief Dotun Sanusi.
Adegoke insisted that it was high time the FOI act was properly put into practice in Nigeria.
Adegoke explained that despite the signing of the Act into law 10 years ago, many government agencies, corporate bodies and individuals were still contravening the provisions of the FOI Act that mandate them to disclose relevant information on demand.
While advising the media that the Act should not be misused to generate stories that betray the greater truth and the trust the common man has in them, Adegoke maintained that access to vital information under the Act must not be abused by some individuals to blackmail government officials, private business entities or individuals as well.
He noted that though it was difficult to completely eradicate corruption in Nigeria if the FOI Act is vigorously implemented in Nigeria, corruption shall be reduced to the barest minimum.
“I want to say that the existing version of FOI Act should be allowed to serve its intended purpose by making public records and information available to citizens.
“I want to advise as well that the Act should not be used to abuse the right by accessing vital information to blackmail government institutions, corporate bodies or individuals which is against the lay down law of the Federation.
“While it is difficult to completely eradicate corruption, if the FOI Act is vigorously implemented in Nigeria, we will reduce corruption to the barest minimum.”
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