12-09-25
Journalists , and other stakeholders have been urged to leverage on the Use of the Freedom of Information Act to curb fake news, misinformation, and Disinformation .
Executive Director of a Non Governmental Organisation, FOICounsels, Mr President Aigbokhan stated this at a two days capacity training workshop tagged ” FOI Surgery” organised by FOI Counsel with support from Rule of Law and Anti -corruption ( RoLAC 11) programme for some selected Journalists, Lawyers and members of some Civil Society organisations, CSOs in Benin City, the Edo State Capital.
Mr Aigbokhan explained that the programme was put in place to address the challenges of the FOI
” This programme is a litigation training on FOI, we called it FOI surgery because it’s designed to teach everybody on how to use the law independently with or without minimum assistance.”
The legal practitioner who further decried the slow use of the freedom of information Act in Nigeria by critical stakeholders like journalists, Lawyers and some members of members of various Civil Society organisations stressed that the FOI Act does not only encourages transparency and accountability in Government dealings but also help to curb fake news and misinformation.
” Media must stand up to begin to use FOI in their reports, to begin to write to government to get clarification, so that there will be reduction in fake news and to stop defamation and slander claims, once it is used properly “
Earlier in a remark, Edo State Coordinator, Rule of Law and Anti- Corruption ,RoLac programme, Mrs Uchenna Nwokedi urged participants to push for the establishment of freedom of information, FOI units in all Ministries, Department and Agencies, MDAs of the Edo state Government.
Mrs Nwokedi who noted that the usage of the freedom of information Act aside enhancing transparency and accountability also aid in checkmating government policies.
” Aside enhancing transparency and accountability, the FOI Act can also be use to checkmate government policies by ensuring equity and curbing discriminations, gender biases among others.”
The event which had participants drawn from various Civil Society Organizations, the Media and the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA featured Questions and answer sessions, Group work and Presentation.
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