By EMMANUEL AZIKEN/OGECHI OHAEGBULEM
LAGOS — The Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), and former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, have commended President Goodluck Jonathan for his courageous step in giving presidential assent to the Freedom of Information (FoI), Bill.
The bill, which is intended to expand the information space and enhance the public’s right to know, was passed last week by the National Assembly.

In a statement signed by its President, Mr. Nduka Obaigbena, who is also the Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Thisday Newspapers, NPAN also commended the leadership of the outgoing National Assembly, civil society groups, media, labour, other groups under the canopy of the Freedom of Information Coalition, and the general public for their dedication to the cause of an informed citizenry, which is the bedrock of democratic practice.

NPAN urged Nigerians to avail themselves of the opportunities offered by the Freedom of Information Act, to enhance transparency and good governance and to work towards achieving a zero-tolerance for corruption and impunity.

Relatedly, Atiku, in a statement issued by his media office, described the enactment of the Freedom of Information law as a landmark development that would enthrone transparency and accountability in governance.

Noting that there could not have been a better time than now to entrench strenuous ethical standards in public life, the former vice-president affirmed that transparency and accountability cannot be achieved when members of the public are denied access to records and other documents essential in exposing wrong-doings in public life.

“Given the nature of our society, the fear of exposure of wrong doings will appear to me to be a far more effective deterrent to public and private officials than even the courts could possibly be,” Atiku said.

The erstwhile Vice-President further urged media practitioners to up their game and avail themselves of the opportunities and possibilities offered by the new law.

He praised the Sixth National Assembly for not reneging on its promise to make the law a reality and the tenacious struggles of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nigerian Guild of Editors, Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Civil Society organizations, including pressure and interest groups.

The former Vice President noted that, despite the efforts of certain forces to kill or hinder the effectiveness of the Freedom of Information Bill in the 12 years that the process took to reach maturation, President Jonathan has demonstrated extraordinary courage by signing the bill into law.

Describing the passage of the law as the happiest coincidence of his life, Atiku said the event comes at a time he is on the verge of launching his own state-of-the-art radio and television stations in Nigeria, which are poised to achieve comparable international standards in modern digital and satellite broadcasting.

The radio station, Radio Gotel which is already undergoing transmission while Gotel Television is yet to be launched. They are to transmit on satellite from Yola in Adamawa State.

culled from http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/06/foi-npan-atiku-praise-jonathans-courage/