The Freedom of Information Bill

The following (pasted text from an email) is doing the rounds - circulate as you wish. I can send you the original email (with attachments) if you contact me.

Dear Colleague,

I am writing to you on behalf of Media Rights Agenda (MRA) to solicit your
support in lobbying President Olusegun Obasanjo to sign the Freedom of
Information Bill into Law.

As you are aware, following years of campaign by civil society
organizations, the House of Representatives passed the Bill on August 25,
2004 while the Senate similarly passed it on November 15, 2006. On February
14, 2007 both Houses of the National Assembly harmonized their respective
versions of the Bill and agreed to one version that should be sent to the
President for assent. The Bill was dispatched to President Obasanjo on
March 23, 2007 for him to sign it into Law.

The Constitution requires the President to signify his intention to assent
or withhold assent within 30 days. The expiration of the 30-day period is
only a few days away and the President has so far not indicated his
intention.

We are therefore urgently requesting you (and possibly your friends, family
members or colleagues) to send text messages to Ministers, Special Advisers
or Assistants to the President, known close associates of the President and
other senior government officials whom you know their numbers, urging them
to prevail on the President to sign the Bill into Law before Monday, April
23, 2007. If the Bill is not signed, all the efforts of the past eight years
may come to nothing.

I have attached to this message, a list of some of such people to whom you
may send text messages.

I have also attached a copy of the Freedom of Information Bill. Should you
require any additional information, please let me know.

I look forward to your support.

Best wishes,

Edet.
Edetaen Ojo
Executive Director
Media Rights Agenda
10, Agboola Aina Street
off Amore Street
Ikeja, Lagos
Tel: +234 1 4936033 & 4936034
Mobile: +234 80 3714 5991
Fax: +234 1 4930831
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.mediarightsagenda.org