CCB, CSOs differ over non-release of information

By Sanni Onogu, AbujaThe Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have disagreed on the non-compliance to requests for information on the assets of public and civil servants by the agency.The Chairman of the CCB represented by his Special Adviser, Mustapha Musa, and the Chairman, Board of Governors, FOI Coalition Nigeria, Walter Duru, spoke at a one-day stakeholders roundtable discussion on Freedom of Information (FOI) Act implementation and challenges, in Abuja.The event was organised by CSOs under the aegis of Citizens Voice against Corruption (CIVAC).Musa gave reasons to support the non-release of information on assets of public servants contained in their asset declaration forms in the custody of the Bureau contrary to the express provision of the FOI Act.Musa, who spoke while responding to questions from The Nation said: One of the mandates of the CCB is to receive declarations of assets, verify the contents of the declaration forms and keep custody of the declaration as to make it available to any citizen on demand.You go through the document under close supervision and we take the document back.He argued that the reason for seeking such information must be genuine because if you say it should not be genuine, it simply means that every person can just come and ask for anything.That aspect which is just an aspect of the mandate of the Bureau will now block the Bureau from discharging its primary duties that are much more important than giving information to individuals. However, Duru faulted the position of the CCB on the non-release of information, saying it was contrary to the provisions of the FOI Act.Duru said: We shall test this law in court because these things are better tested so that you allow the judiciary to interpret but is strange to imagine that, notwithstanding the provisions of section 1 of the FOI Act that clearly says that notwithstanding what is contained in any other existing law, Act, enactment or whatsoever that is relating to disclosure of information, is bound by the provisions of the FOI Act.
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