TASK
As Abeolumo Human Rights Coalition, one of the NGO groups at the workshop, role play how you are going to approach the chairman House Committee on info so as to correct erroneous impression of the Attorney General and suggest the need to adapt/enact the FOAI in Eletikun state of Kogberegbe.
The group identified the problem statement first which is the fact that the FOI bill has been passed and by virtue of law should be binding on all federative units but some states are trying to exempt themselves.
The following steps have been outlined:
- Write a letter to book an appointment with the Chairman House committee on information.
- Prepare for the advocacy meeting.
Note: while preparing for the advocacy meeting, it’s necessary to first identify why previous attempts has been abortive.
- Identify members that would form the advocacy team. The team should include major stakeholders such as the media, vulnerable groups, NCWS and so on.
- Identify lead speakers and delegate roles to each of them.
Introduction by 1st speaker (member of the CSO coalition and also a media correspondent of the House of Assembly, this person is also the one who used the practice of lobby to get the Chairman to fix an appointment with the group)
Paper presentation by 2nd Speaker (coordinator of the coalition group)
Conclusion by 3rd speaker (representative of the NCWS group)
- Develop a position paper which should include quotations from the FOI Act.
Note: while presenting the paper, it should be emphasized that the federal law supersedes the state law.
Also references should be made to past achievement by the group, in other South-West state.
- Go as a team to see the chairman, do a paper presentation and then make the Chairman House committee on Information make a commitment that would enable the group to do a follow-up and come up with fruitful outcome.
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