NTA Kaduna Begins Transmission of FOI Programme

A television discussion programme that highlights the importance of a Freedom of Information law to different sectors of the Nigerian society will began airing on April 30 on the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Kaduna. Titled “Freedom of Information and You”, it ran every Sunday between 5.00 and 5.30 pm for 10 weeks.

The programme was sponsored by Media Rights Agenda (MRA) with the support of European Commission.

Discussants in the programme included media professionals and human rights workers including Odia Ofeimun, journalist, poet and former President of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Mr. Dapo Olorunyomi, Country Representative of Freedom House/Nigeria; Mr. Lanre Arogundade, the Coordinator of the International Press Center (IPC); Mr. Nurudeen Ogbara, Director of Citizens Center; and Mrs. Josephine Effah-Chukwuma, Executive Director of Project Alert on Violence Against Women.

Others are Mr. Sina Loremikan, the South-West Coordinator of the Zero Corruption Coalition (ZCC); Mr. Adewale Adeoye, the Executive Director of Journalists for Democratic Rights (JODER), Mr. Kingsley Obom-Egbulem, a Programme Officer at Journalists Against Aids (JAAIDS); Mr. Akinbode Oluwafemi, a Programme Manager at the Environmental Rights Action (ERA); and Mr.  Lesley Adogame, Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Environmental Society (NES).

The weekly discussions covered how a regime of access to information in Nigeria will help to raise standards in research and academics, tackle the agitations for self determination and conflict transformation as well as benefit women in Nigeria in resolving issues of concern to them. It also explored how an FOI law can aid transparency and accountability, make the fight against corruption more effective and ensure that the environment is saved from perennial abuse by exploration and exploitation of natural resources, including crude oil, in Nigeria. The programme also talked about how an FOI will benefit artisans, farmers, traders and other sectors of the Nigerian society.