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Press Release
For
Immediate Release: 7th December 2005
Freedom of Information Bill: Need to Ensure Speedy Passage
The Freedom of Information Coalition (FOI
Coalition) welcomes the fact that the third reading of the
Freedom of Information Bill is scheduled
for Wednesday, December 14, 2005. We are encouraged by the
commitment of the Senate to ensuring a speedy passage of the
Bill. This is indeed, a mark of legislative responsiveness
to public interest.
It is encouraging to note that the
National Assembly, realizing the importance of this Bill in
its effort to ensure good governance in the nation, is going
a step further to ensure its passage into Law.
The benefit of this Bill to Nigeria and
Nigerians is immeasurable, especially as it would aid the
lawmakers’ legislative interventions in the political and
economic agendas of the present democratic regime.
The FOI Coalition acknowledges the
support of the National Assembly for efforts aimed at
ensuring fiscal discipline, transparency in governance,
reforming public procurement process, economic empowerment
through NEEDS and sanitizing of all major economic sectors,
including Education, Aviation, Power, Oil and Gas. These
reforms can however become more effective and lasting when
they are owned by the people through access to information.
The FOI Coalition therefore calls on the
Senate to, as a matter of urgency and in the interest of the
nation’s development and good governance, ensure the passage
of the Freedom of Information Bill within the shortest
possible time.
Signed by the under listed organizations,
members of the FOI Coalition:
Media Rights Agenda (MRA)
International Press Centre (IPC)
Concerned Professionals (CP)
Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE)
Zero Corruption Coalition (ZCC)
Justice Development and Peace
Commission (JDPC)
Lawyers Alert
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)
National Association of Nigerian
Traders (NANTS)
Centre for Human Rights in Islam (CHRI)
Borno Coalition for Democracy and
Progress (BOCODEP)
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