Joel Osaigbovo Aluge, Reporting, Benin City
The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State Council, Comrade Festus Alenkhe has called on the 36 state Houses of Assembly to domesticate the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.
Alenkhe made the call in Benin City when a team of media and mobilisation campaign for the domestication of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act in Edo State visited the Union’s Press Centre.
The campaign was organised by ReseracherNG in collaboration with the Conference of Non-Governmental Governmental Organisation (CONGOS)
According to Alenkhe, Edo NUJ has been in the forefront of the campaign for the domestication of the FOI Act, saying that lack of adequate information could lead to misinformation.
He said that NUJ is fully in support, and lauded the organisers for the initiative.
The Policy and Governance Advocacy Officer, ResearcherNG, Modupe Akinwale said that the campaign team was at the Press Centre to enlist NUJ in its campaign for the domestication of FOI Act in other to enhance inclusiveness.
According to her, the domestication of the FOI Act would promote inclusiveness, transparency and accountability in governance.
She disclosed access to information is a cardinal principle of democracy which must be embraced by everyone in a civilized society.
She also revealed that any society that is not informed is deformed.
The campaign team was also at the State House of Assembly, where Mrs. IV Ebhozele, the Special Adviser on Media to the Speaker of the House, Hon. Blessing Agbekaku requested that a position paper be made on the matter and presented to the law makers.