Lucky Obukohwo ReportingÂ
A group, Social Action in conjunction with the Edo Civil Society Organizations (EDOCSO), supported by the Macarthur Foundation, has trained stakeholders from various communities in Edo State on the use of the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA).
The aim is to solicit responses from relevance government agencies saddled with the responsibilities of awarding contracts to contractors with the aim of getting things done appropriately for the good of all.
The theme of the workshop is “Using Freedom of Information (FOI) to facilitate transparency in procurement.”
Speaking on the topic: Making Request for Information Under the FOI Act”, in Benin, President Aigbokhan said for anyone to get response from any agencies or contractors, using the FOIA, he must stick to the rules of the game, which are, identifying the agency, writing to the head of the agency, specifying what you want, writing your name on your request letter and getting it signed.
He said leaving it vague will not help the applicant as lawyers are not magicians but sticking to the rules will do the magic.
Aigbokhan told participants to always get their request written on paper and not to rely on oral because that could be denied.
He said the illiterate and the Persons With Disabilities (PWD) can seek the assistance of a third party to help them write their request while they dictate their thoughts to the person helping them out.
He also told them that while seeking for information under the FOI Act, the court is not the first point of call but the agency, stressing that it is only when the agency or contractor in question refuses that they can approach the court.
He however tasked them to be more vigilant because government officials have developed another method of siphoning public funds.
On the part of Omobude Agho, of the EDOCSO, he lamented that most Nigerians do not know how powerful they are because they failed to use the FOIA.
Agho Admonished them not to hide themselves under the guise of, they cannot read and write, therefore allow projects awarded to contractors with the tax payers money go down the drain , stressing that all they needed, is to know how to ask the right questions.
On the part of the facilitator, Botti Isaac, while speaking on using the FOI to facilitate Transparency in Procurement Process and Projects Implementation, queried what some agencies called Administrative Charges.
He said some agencies made it so bogus to scale those who want to investigate their activities adding that it ought not to be.