Delta Assembly Passes FOI Bill

Delta Assembly Passes FOI Bill

Sylvester Idowu in Warri

The Delta State Freedom of Information Bill (FoIB) was Thursday passed by the state House of Assembly.

The passage of the bill followed the consideration of the report of the Joint Assembly on the Delta State Freedom of Information Bill at a Committee of the Whole following a motion moved by the Majority Leader, Hon Tim Owhefere, and seconded by Hon Reuben Izeze.

Reporting progress, the assembly Speaker, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, who presided over plenary, said the members resolved at the Committee of the Whole that having gone through the bill, the assembly should suspend the rules and pass it.

Thereafter, the Majority Leader, Owhefere, moved separate motions for the assembly to suspend orders 77,78 and 79 and take the third reading to enable the assembly pass the bill.

The motions were seconded by Honourable Samuel Mariere and Kennedy Daubry, and adopted through a voice vote.

The Speaker, while thanking members for their support in the passage of the bill, said the bill would enhance the principles of democracy as the people will now have access to information.

The state Freedom of Information bill is for a law to make public records and information more freely available and provide for public access to public records and information.

The bill is also meant to protect public records and information to an extent consistent with the public interest and the protection of personal privacy, protect serving public officers from adverse consequences of disclosing certain official information without authorisation and establish procedures for the achievement of those purpose and for related matters.

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