A Kwara-based civil and socio-cultural group, Elites Network for Sustainable Development (ENetSuD), has for the second time written a letter to the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, urging him to assent to the Kwara State Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill 2019 transmitted to him by the State House of Assembly on June 20, 2019.

Recall that ENetSuD, in collaboration with 27 other non-governmental groups and media organisations in the state had earlier written the Governor on June 03, 2019 for the same purpose, in addition to previous call by ENetSuD (http://enetsud.org/2019/05/31/assent-to-foi-law-when-transmitted-to-you-enetsud-urges-abdulrahman/).

In the second letter jointly signed by its Coordinator, Dr. Alagbonsi Abdullateef, and General Secretary, Mr. Usman Baba Mahmud, which was submitted at the Government House on July 11, 2019, ENetSuD explained to the Governor that the FOI Bill 2019 is all about constructive criticism which is one of the characteristics of representative governance and democracy.

It further explained that its sponsorship of the Bill has no sinister intention but only aimed at achieving an open society where all the people of Kwara State, irrespective of tribe and clan, shall be represented according to their consent adding that it never wanted the government to fail and therefore urges it to be accountable to citizens.

"It is never our wish that this government should fail! It is our collective government! It is a government we believe in! We want it opened as you have preached! We want it to be a government of accountability. We want it to be a government that will reflect the true yearnings and aspiration of the people that enthroned it. However, all the aforementioned ideals and values cannot be secured without the assent to the FOI Bill 2019 by your exalted office,” the group said in the statement.

ENetSuD also reiterated its readiness for partnership and unalloyed support towards the success of the government in providing good governance, openness and accountability to the citizens. While commending the 8th Kwara State House of Assembly for passing the novel bill, ENetSuD added that assent to the bill by the Governor shall engrave his name indelibly in Kwarans' political thought and consciousness and make a good political history.

Finally, ENetSuD reminded Governor Abdulrazaq that the 30-day constitutional time-frame stipulated for Governor’s assent is fast approaching, and thus urged him to give his assent to the bill as transmitted to him by the State Assembly.