Only Ekiti, Imo, Have Passed FoI Bill, As NGO Tasks Edo Gov Obaseki

By Ayodele Oni

African Network for Environment and Economic Justice, (ANEEJ) has tasked the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, over the non-passage of the state government’s draft Freedom of Information Bill (FOI).

Innocent Edemhanria, the programme manager of the NGO who  disclosed this at a press briefing in Benin City stated that the NGOs are working with eight others on a petition over the issue to the Governor.

“We have had engagement meetings with some stakeholders both state and non state actors to join us in this advocacy effort.

“We will sustain such advocacy efforts and engage more stakeholders to support our advocacy issues.”

Edemhanria, who lamented the non-passage of the FOI bill by Edo State and several other states in the country, noted that the passage of FOI by state Houses of Assembly and subsequent assent by the various state governors will help deepen transparency and accountability in governance.

He urged states that are yet to domesticate the FOI bill to emulate Ekiti and Imo states, where the governors have enacted their own state FOI laws.

He emphasized that if states have their own FOI law, it will also bring to an end the raging controversy about the applicability of FOI Act at state level where several groups both within and outside Edo State are now in court.

The programme officer pointed out that Edo State government is yet to domesticate the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 10 years after it was signed into law by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

According to him, there is the need to draw the attention of Mr Obaseki, to the draft of the Edo State FOI Bill and appealed to the governor to revisit the draft bill and present it to Edo State House of Assembly as an executive bill for consideration.

Edemhanria, explained that the Edo draft bill, prepared by the Ministry of Justice, between 2016 and 2017, during Obaseki’s first tenure, had been subjected to consultation with  governance Partnership (OGP) framework.