IMPLEMENTING THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT: ARE WE EXPECTING TOO MUCH TOO SOON?
INTRODUCTION Information flow between government and its citizens was deemed by Rt Hon Jack Straw (a UK MP) to not only empower the people but to promote a “vigorous and robust democracy”. The Right to Information Act, 2019 except under certain exemptions is intended to give the public the “right to know” the type of information held by public bodies. It is an attempt for “greater transparency, accountability and engagement” in government business and should “transform the culture of Government from one of secrecy to one of openness ” . In the UK for example, it led to the resignation by Michael Burgess as coroner for the late lady Diana’s inquest; it led to the disclosure of detailed breakdown of MPs travel expenses after an initial plan by ministers to exempt such disclosure; it led to World Development Movement (WDM) getting information relating to the biggest carbon dioxide polluters in the UK which before the Act would not have been readily available. There is the argu