‘Information, Critical To Democratic Governance’

Director-General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr Mike Omeri, has  said that information is critical for strengthening and deepening the nation’s democratic governance.

Omeri said this in Amofia community of Ohaukwu local government during the ‘step down’ community sensitisation campaign and advocacy on the application and benefits of Freedom of Information Act of 2011.

Represented at the event by Mr Charles Nwoji, Deputy Director, Research, Planning and Strategy of the agency, he stressed that ‘’Information is critical for strengthening and deepening of our political institutions and processes.

‘’If we are informed, we will be enlightened; and if we are enlightened, we will be transformed; and transformation will make us do the right thing,’’ he said.

According to him, the agency took the campaign down to the grassroots because greater percentage of the nation’s population are residing in the rural areas.

He said that it was imperative that the rural dwellers were enlightened on the existence of the law, its usefulness and application by the citizenry.

The director-general said that unhindered access to information was critical towards ensuring mass participation of citizens in the country’s political and social activities.

He attributed political apathy, corruption, bad leadership and collapse in moral values among others, to lack of access to useful information by the general public.

‘’We are therefore here to get you informed about this FOI Act so that you will know about it and use it to hold your leaders accountable. This law is the power you have to question both your political and traditional rulers, and seek information on how they utilise resources allocated for developmental purposes in the community. ‘’This law guarantees you the right of knowing or to seek redress in the law courts, when this right is abridged,’’ Omeri said.

He said the act had been translated to many Nigerian local languages and dialects to cater for the literate and illiterate population and revealed that the agency was partnering with the Judiciary to ensure that violators of the act were prosecuted in the law courts.

Omeri explained that the agency was using the community dialogue mechanism and theatre for development platform, to reach out and educate the rural populace on the benefits of this act.