Leadership (Abuja)
Philip Nyam
2 November 2009
Abuja — A member of the House of Representatives,Hon. Ahman Pategi has expressed fear that the Freedom of Information (FoI) Bill currently before the National Assembly may not be passed into law by the present assembly.
The FOIB was passed during the second National Assembly of the Fourth Republic but the then president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo withheld assent. Obasanjo had expressed reservation on the title of the Bill and some of the provisions.
As a result, the Bill was re-introduced in the present assembly but has met stiff resistance from lawmakers who perceive it as anti-parliament and unfriendly to legislators.
Pategi, who was speaking in Abuja at a workshop on parliament and the media organized by the World Bank, said legislators in the National Assembly are not in a hurry to endorse the bill, which seeks to grant people, including media unrestricted access to information.
He noted that although, the media was 'angry' with the lawmakers for not passing the Bill, it may not be passed as soon as envisaged by the media.
In the House of Representatives, the Bill had since 2007 been listed thrice on the floor and on each occasion, deliberations were negatived as members voted overwhelmingly against it.
They hinged their decision on belief that if passed, would solely serve the interest of the media not theirs.
Responding to tele-conferencing questions thrown at him by a Canadian moderator of the forum, Chris Cobb, Pategi explained that the nation's politicians, whether in office or out of office, are wary of granting the media access to all kinds of information.
"This is not to say that we as parliamentarians are not interested in assisting journalists do their work.
"We appreciate their concerns and positions on the Freedom of Information Bill, and we are working on them.
"This bill, although it has not yet been passed in Nigeria , was earlier passed by the last National Assembly, but was not assented to by the former President.
"The reasons are obvious, and we know them. And because of them I am afraid that the bill may not be passed in the life of this present National Assembly," he said.
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