By Ogenyi Ogenyi, Uyo
Policy Alert and other civil society organizations, operating under the Niger Delta Open Governance Observatory (NOGO), have called for enhanced access to publicly held information at all levels in the Niger Delta region, in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2011.
This appeal was made in a statement issued to commemorate the 2024 International Day for Universal Access to Information, observed annually on October 28.
In the statement, signed by the organization’s Executive Director, Tijah Bolton-Akpan, the theme for this year’s commemoration, “Mainstreaming Access to Information and Participation in the Public Sector,” highlighted the vital role that information plays in defending human rights and promoting development, democracy, and equality.
“The Niger Delta is a complex political and socio-economic system consisting of 194 subnational entities, including nine states and 185 local government areas, each facing shared and sometimes unique development challenges.
“The public institutions responsible for delivering services to citizens across the region are legally obliged to treat information as a public good, ensuring that citizens can seek, receive, and share information without interference,” the statement said.
It continued, “The volume of fiscal flows entering the Niger Delta region through state and local governments, as well as intervention agencies, starkly contrasts with the evident lack of development and poor social indicators.
“This disparity creates a pressing need for access to publicly held information, enabling citizens to ask the right questions that foster transparency, accountability, and effective service delivery. However, it is disappointing that eight states in the region have yet to enact Freedom of Information legislation at the state level.”
To mark the 2024 International Day for Universal Access to Information, NOGO plans to unveil the findings of the Niger Delta FOI Rankings during an online event.
The rankings aim to assess the compliance of public institutions with the standards for citizens’ access to public information held by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), as stipulated in the FOI Act 2011.
NOGO is a multi-center walk-in and digital hub operated by a coalition of civil society organizations led by Policy Alert, dedicated to enhancing open government knowledge, information, innovation, and advocacy in the Niger Delta region.
