Journalists tasked on FoI Act

JOURNALISTS have been urged to be guided by the sense of patriotism, nationalism and security in the application of the Freedom of Information Act (FoI).Akwa Ibom State Deputy Governor, Nsima Ekere, gave this advice during a sensitisation workshop organised by the state Ministry of Justice at Le Meridian Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort, Uyo.With the theme: 'Understanding of the Implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 2011', he reasoned that in spite of the desirability of the FoI Act, journalists should be wary of disseminating information that could jeopardise the unity of the country.Attended by officers from the 31 council areas of the state, Ekere urged journalists to always strike a balance between freedom of information and national security so as to preserve the corporate existence of the country.He added that by so doing, implementation of the FoI Act would run smoothly.Ekere praised the Ministry of Justice for organising the workshop and implored it to organise more. He disclosed that public officers in the state were undergoing training and retraining to complement the infrastructural revolution of Governor Godswill Akpabio.'Nigeria is evolving. Before the advent of the FoI Act, public officers were bound by the secrecy oath to keep government's secrets', he said.
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