The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) and National Orientation Agency (NOA), on Tuesday emerged the top three winners of the 2023 National Freedom of Information (FOI) compliance and transparency ranking carried out by a coalition made up of some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).
The CSOs; International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), Public-Private Development Centre (PPDC), Right to Know (R2K), Media Rights Agenda (MRA) and BudgIT, ranked a total of 238 ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) operating in Nigeria.
According to PPDC’s software developer, Sadiq Sambo, the MDAs were ranked on there parameters; level of responsiveness with seven to 14 days having the highest points, level of disclosure and proactive disclosure of relevant information to the public.
Data Analyst with the ICIR, Ibukun Akangbe who shed more light on the challenges limiting the level of responsiveness and disclosure by MDAs were; denial of FOI requests on basis of confidentiality, request for exorbitant fees by some of the MDAs before they agree to process FOI requests.
Akangbe recommended for a clear definition of information that should be regarded as a security or public threat, the boundaries of confidentiality must be addressed as regards issues of public and private fund. disclosure of information on MDAs websites.
The National Coordinator Open Government Partnership, Gloria Ahmed who maintained that access to information was a critical tool to help government succeed, urged MDAs to leverage on data and technology to publish their information on their website, as such a move would help reduce the traffic of persons trooping into the MDAs to access information.
She said, “We must do everything to protect and expand the online space in accessing information. The FOIA is 12 years, and it is expected that the Act grows to reflect its age and exhibit added features.”
