Freedom of Information Bill in Nigeria not Yet Uhuru

 The freedom of Information Bill in Nigeria [FOI] in Nigeria is a bill that is ensured to give Nigerians free access to government information. The goal is to enhance greater transparency in government by giving citizens the right to peruse government documents and also ask questions on how the commonwealth [public funds] has been expended.

This bill which was initiated by a member of the Nigerian lower house of parliament since the era of former President Obasanjo has generated a lot of controversy and also attracted public interest. This controversy of the FOI bill stems from the eagerness of the public to ensure that the bill is speedily passed into law. For those accustomed with the history of public service in Nigeria, it has been one of profligacy, monumental corruption, and large scale graft since independence till date. Huge sums of oil revenue have disappeared without trace from the public over the years without explanation. Thus, the enthusiasm with which the public welcomed the bill.

However, the FOI bill which has just been passed by the Nigerian lower house of parliament seem to have birthed in still waters. Since the battle for its passage began, it has faced formidable opposition by those who are benefitting from the existing rot, as they have employed all known and unknown subterfuges to kill the bill. The bill was initially passed by the defunct legislature during the Obasanjo administration only for it to get to President Obasanjo’s table and literarily thrown into the “trash can” because he claimed he didn’t “understand what the bill was talking about”

With the passage of the bill once again, by the current legislature, public expectation is on the rise once again, but we hearken to warn that this expectations could be misplaced, as the status quo subsisting during the Obasanjo era is still very much present in Nigeria. As a matter of fact an aide to President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed his readiness to advise the President not to assent to the bill.

For the FOI bill, the last as not been heard, as it looks likely that, it may still suffer the same fate.