The National Orientation Agency (NOA) Thursday tasked Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on Freedom of Information Act (FOI) to promote transparency and good governance in their operations.
The Akwa Ibom Director of NOA, Mr Enoh Uyoh, said this during One-Day Advocacy/Sensitisation workshop on Freedom of Information Act (FOI) held in Uyo.
Uyoh said the FOI Act was created to make government including its agencies and parastatals transparent and accountable to the citizens.
He said fake news and rumors would thrive until MDAs were open to the members of the public.
“We have offices, to what extent do we practice this FOI Act? The situation we are finding ourselves at the state level, nationally and individually is not working the way it supposed to because government operates on secrecy.
“Every institutions operates on secrecy, you can work in an Establishment, Ministry or Department and you would not know many things that are going on in that institution.
“We have refused to open up and people are peddling unfounded fake news. Why are information and certain action shrouded in secrecy and people would not know? Freedom of Information Act is good, but to what extent has it been implemented?,” he said.
The state director commended the Buhari-led administration for further signing Open Government Partner (OPG) in the fight against corruption.
He also praised the administration for allowing criticisms from non-governmental organisations like SERAP, Mac Author Foundation without suppression.
