"We are not privilege to give you that kind of information you seek." This is a common refrain among officials of government ministries and departments. Getting information from government ministries and agencies is time consuming if not virtually impossible.
Free flow of information is one indispensable ingredient of a virile and vibrant democracy. How then can Nigeria's democracy be nurtured when necessary information is considered top secret and difficult to access? How can democracy and economic growth be sustained if journalists do not have access to basic information in the course of their work to enable citizens be better informed? Obviously, democracy is threatened if most citizens cannot get necessary information they need to corroborate exiting ones and had to rely on 'outright news manufacturing.'
The House of Representatives has seen how perilously the nation's nascent democracy is if the public do not have access to the basic information in vital government departments and agencies. As the passage of the freedom of Access to Information Bill a couples of weeks ago continues to garner praises for the Nigerian House of Representatives, it is hopeful that the level of government secrecy in Nigeria which is disturbingly high would cease. Primarily, the bill seeks to criminalize concealment of information and consequently remove the Nigeria from the list of the most secretive countries.
The passage of the bill has been described as a thump up for democracy. It is also seen as the most important weapon in the fight against corruption, the enthronement of transparency and accountability. The President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Smart Adeyemi, describes the passage of the bill as the biggest dividend of democracy for journalists and the entire citizenry and that the bill, if it finally becomes law, will minimize corruption and enhance the jobs of journalists.
Getting information from any government agency is tedious. Laws like Secrets Act give government officials power to withhold vital information. Virtually all government information is given the status of top secret. These laws make it a criminal offence to give out information or allow anyone to receive or reproduce such information. It also prevents civil servants from divulging official facts and figures.
The level of secrecy is disturbing in that government departments withhold information from each other under the guise of official secret legislation. Instances are rife whereby civil servants for no just tangible reasons refused to give the parliament documentation when requested. Journalists are worst hit as they are denied access to information that is crucial to accurate reporting.
In spite of the fact that the Bill had been delayed for some years, there are fears that the bill may experience another delay in the Senate. Before its passage, the Senate has passed its own version of the bill. The President also has to append his signature. As at now, it is not clear when Senate will give attention to the bill.
There are indications in many quarters that the current People Democratic Party government might not be comfortable with the bill eventually becoming law. A top journalist once alleged that the current PDP-led government might be afraid that the bill would give the media "too much power" to probe the activities of government officials.
The bill should be given the attention it deserves. If there is access to information, it will surely help in the fight against corruption and building a virile democracy. Everyone knows the extent to which corruption has devastated the country. As people cannot get to the fraudulent acts of government officials and politicians, corruption continues to get wax stronger. Misrule has always stemmed from statutes which denied access to information. Since those in government believe they can hide their atrocities, they will be confident to abuse their office.
If democracy would have to be strengthened and corruption minimized every Nigerian must as a matter of necessity encourage the quick passage of the bill into law. Nigeria must join the league of open societies. Studies have shown that development awaits any country that embraces openness and throws away the policy of secrecy. Nigerians must have the freedom to obtain necessary government information they need. This is how to nurture the country's nascent democracy and enhance the jobs of journalists.
- Thompson (thompson@ippanigeria.org) is with Institute of Public Policy Analysis in Lagos