A Battle Editors Must Win

By Chris Ajaero
Monday, July 19, 2004

Editors, at a World Bank seminar in Lagos resolve to fight for the passage of the Freedom of Information bill

The clamour for the passage of the Freedom of Information, FOI, bill was reinforced by editors of leading newspapers and magazines in Nigeria at a conference organised by the World Bank in Akodo, Lagos, July 9-10. The conference whose focus was on "The media and its Watchdog Role" dwelt extensively on the bill and the way the level of secrecy in government has impeded investigative journalism and exposure of corruption since the return of democracy on May 29, 1999.

Edetaen Ojo, executive director, Media Rights Agenda, set the tone of the discussion with an insight into the efforts so far made by Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, and the Freedom of Information Coalition towards the passage of the bill by the National Assembly. He recalled that since 1999 when the bill was first presented to the some members of the House of Representatives to sponsor in the National Assembly, it has made impressive progress through the legislative process. However, it could not be passed into law during the first four years of the return of democracy despite the efforts of the coalition to push it through. Following the inauguration of the present National Assembly, the bill was re-submitted.

The FOI bill is an "act to make public records and information freely available, provide for access to public records and information to the extent consistent, with the public interest and the protection of personal privacy; and related purposes there of." It is therefore an enabling law that would help journalists expose corrupt public officers.

Although President Olusegun Obasanjo's administration prides itself as one committed to transparency, accountability and the anti-corruption crusade, it appears to be opposed to the passage of FOI bill. Ojo believes that Obasanjo's sanctimonious posturing as a leader committed to the anti-corruption crusade would amount to an effort in futility unless journalists are given access to information that is critical for accurate reporting and uncovering the web of corruption in the country.

The objective of the current campaign for the passage of the bill is to lay down as a legal principle the right of access to documents and information in the custody of the government or its officials and agencies as a necessary collollary to the guarantee of freedom of expression. A freedom of information culture will engender openness, transparency, and accountability in government, and enable Nigerians overcome the vicious circle of corruption, under-development and political instability.

Ojo challenged the media to raise the tempo of advocacy for the FOI bill until the members of the National Assembly heed the voice of reason by enacting the law. He advised that in doing this, journalists should enlighten the public that the bill is not entirely a media bill since it will equally give every Nigerian access to information and help the present administration succeed in its anti-corruption crusade. "We should allay the fear of public officers by asserting that the FOI law would not be a weapon to destroy but a weapon to build the society," Ojo said.

Gbemiga Ogunleye, deputy editor-in-chief of the Punch newspaper believes that the enactment of the FOI law has become imperative since government in Nigeria is now run like a secret society and it will be difficult for journalists to effectively practice investigative journalism without such an enabling legislative authority.

Reuben Abati, chairman, editorial board of The Guardian, described the Freedom of Information law as a critical element for the effectiveness of the media in playing its role as the watchdog of the public. To him, the media must have access to information to be able to hold the government accountable to the people. He acknowledged the fact that the members of the National Assembly were frustrating the efforts of the Freedom of Information Coalition to push the bill through. "They see it as a means through which journalists want to grab more power, hence their reluctance to pass the bill into law," Abati said. He enjoined journalists to be in the vanguard for the enactment the FOI law instead of leaving it entirely to non-governmental organisations, NGOs.

Officials of the World Bank are also convinced that any government that refuses to enact the freedom of information law would only make itself a fertile environment for corruption. Roderick Macdonell, consultant, World Bank Institute, said the failure of government to enact the FOI would make it lack accountability and transparency. He said almost 50 countries around the globe have enacted laws requiring the government to reveal information to the public. But in Africa, only South Africa has adopted a Freedom of Information Law while Nigeria, Ghana, Zambia and Uganda have signalled their intention to adopt an FOI law.

Obadiah Tohomdet, external affairs officer, World Bank, told participants at the conference that it was ironical that Nigeria generates $16 billion annually from oil, yet it is ranked as one of the poor countries in the world." He noted that the World Bank officials, perceive the journalists as important agents for change and challenged the media to make those in government accountable to the people.

The conference was quite revealing as editors of the leading national newspapers and magazines shared ideas on the challenges they face on their job and the necessity for the speedy passage of the FOI bill. Deji Olatoye, a consultant with the World Bank and coordinator of the programme told Newswatch that the conference lived up to expectation. He explained that based on the ideas shared by editors at the conference, they were in a better position to devise a more effective strategy to champion the cause for the passage of the FOI bill and the practice of investigative journalism.