Delta state house of assembly passes foi bill
A great development in Nigeria!
The Delta State House of Assembly has passed the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill, which is a significant step towards promoting transparency and accountability in governance.
The FOI Bill, also known as the "Delta State Freedom of Information Law", aims to provide citizens with access to information held by public institutions, including the state government, local governments, and public corporations.
The bill, which was passed on [date], is expected to promote transparency, accountability, and good governance in Delta State by ensuring that citizens have the right to access information held by public institutions.
Some of the key provisions of the bill include:
- Definition of public information: The bill defines public information as any information held by a public institution, including documents, records, and data.
- Right to access information: The bill grants citizens the right to access public information, subject to certain exceptions and limitations.
- Exceptions: The bill provides for exceptions to the right to access information, including national security, personal data, and commercial secrets.
- Procedure for requesting information: The bill sets out a procedure for citizens to request information from public institutions, including the submission of a written request and the payment of a fee.
- Timeframe for responding to requests: The bill sets out a timeframe for public institutions to respond to requests for information, including a maximum of 7 days for routine requests and 14 days for complex requests.
- Appeals mechanism: The bill provides for an appeals mechanism for citizens who are denied access to information or are not satisfied with the response to their request.
The passage of the FOI Bill is a significant step towards promoting transparency and accountability in Delta State, and it is expected to have a positive impact on the state's governance and development.