On Monday, July 8, 2024, a newspaper published an editorial titled “Akume’s riot act on official secrets,” in which it sought to justify
SIR: the threat by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation , Mr. George Akume, that government officials who disclose information without authorisation would be jailed and railed against the criticism of that threat by Media Rights Agenda as “misleading and mischievous.”
What is clear from Section 27 of the FOI Act is that there is a clear conflict between the Official Secrets Act of 1962, which seeks to criminalise and punish public officials who disclose information without authorisation, and the FOI Act of 2011, which represents a change in public policy in accordance with current international norms and standards, and protects public officials who disclose without authorisation information in the public interest.
The two laws are not complementary, they are not analogous and there is absolutely no meeting point between them. Besides, there is nothing contained in the Official Secrets Act that can be interpreted to be aimed at enhancing transparency or accelerating the socio-economic and political development of Nigeria.
Clearly, the Attorney-General also recognised the inconsistencies and incongruity between the FOI Act and the Official Secrets Act along with the provisions of other existing laws which promote secrecy in government.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
PTAD: Resolving pensioners’ issuesThe Nation Newspaper PTAD: Resolving pensioners’ issues
Read more »
EDITORIAL: Resolving the minimum wage debacle and fiscal headwindsStates can lessen their financial burdens by aggressively weaning their payrolls of ghost workers.
Read more »
PTAD: Resolving pensioners’ issuesThe Nation Newspaper PTAD: Resolving pensioners’ issues
Read more »
Resolving herdsmen issue in Nigeria (2)The Nation Newspaper Resolving herdsmen issue in Nigeria (2)
Read more »
Abacha family dismisses Nigerian govt’s claim of resolving $1.3bn OML 245 court casesThe family of the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha has dismissed the claim by the federal government that all Court Cases relating to ownership of the oil exploration company, Malabu Oil and Gas have been resolved.
Read more »
FG Optimistic Of Resolving Minimum Wage Impasse Next WeekAccording to the TUC boss, the labour delegation informed the President of the economic difficulties Nigerians are going through.
Read more »