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Daniel Adaji
The Director General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), Dasuki Arabi, has called on Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to step up efforts in implementing the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, describing it as essential to building trust, accountability, and democratic governance.
In a statement shared with Pointblank News on Tuesday, Arabi emphasized that “despite progress made, challenges persist in the full realization of the objectives of the FOI Act.”
He said the Bureau, in collaboration with the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CeFTPI) and the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy, remains committed to entrenching openness in the public sector.
“This initiative underscores our unwavering commitment to entrenching transparency, accountability, and good governance within the public sector,” he said.
Arabi noted that the effective implementation of the FOI Act is crucial for strengthening democratic institutions.
“The FOI Act 2011 is a landmark legislation that empowers citizens, promotes openness in governance, and ensures access to public information,” he stated.
To ensure FOI compliance across government bodies, the Bureau has integrated FOI platforms into its Scorecard assessment of MDAs’ websites.
According to Arabi, “The Bureau, as part of its requirement for Scorecard for ranking MDAs’ websites, included the FOI platform on MDAs’ portal to support government initiatives on the implementation of public policies and boost compliance to standards.”
He also highlighted ongoing collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Justice, noting that the Bureau has “periodically held several sensitization workshops on FOIA for officers across MDAs.”
In a move to track implementation, Arabi revealed that in 2018, BPSR conducted a perception survey to “gauge the level of FOIA compliance across MDAs and assess the administrative bottlenecks mitigating the implementation, upon which policy recommendations were made to the government for adoption.”
He stressed that fostering a culture of public interest disclosure remains critical to fighting corruption.
“Public interest disclosure is a crucial element in the fight against corruption and maladministration. It empowers public servants and citizens alike to expose unethical practices and mismanagement without fear of reprisal,” he said.
Arabi expressed appreciation to BPSR’s partners, describing their involvement as vital. “Their collaboration in this endeavour is a testament to the power of multi-stakeholder partnerships in driving meaningful reforms.”