From:Femi Oyelola in Kaduna
The Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) has convened a stakeholders’ meeting to strategize on the effective implementation of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act in Nigeria.
This was contained in a statement by ANEEJ in Kaduna yesterday.
The statement stated that the meeting is part of the Civil Society Advocacy to Strengthen Anti-Corruption Reforms in Nigeria (CASARN) project, which aims to contribute to reducing corruption in Nigeria through civil society advocacy.
The Deputy Executive Director of ANEEJ, Mr. Leo Atakpu, explained that the CASARN project is being implemented in collaboration with the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC II) Programme, which is funded by the European Union (EU).
He noted that the project focuses on strengthening anti-corruption reforms by assessing the management framework and effectiveness of Anti-Corruption and Transparency Units (ACTUs) in federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), promoting MDAs’ compliance with open contracting, and advocating for the passage of the whistleblower protection bill.
Atakpu highlighted the challenges that have hindered the effective implementation of the FOI Act, including a culture of secrecy in public institutions, poor record-keeping, limited citizen awareness, and weak enforcement.
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