Abstract
The imperativeness of the freedom to access information, express opinions and active participation in governance by the general public has been recognized by a good number of democratic governments across the globe; hence, the adoption and enactment of the Freedom of Information Act by such democratic governments (Nigeria inclusive). However, there seems to be gross under-utilization of this enormous power bestowed on the media (and on the journalists working in the media) as both the purveyors of public information and watchdog of the society. This study, therefore, undertakes an assessment of the Nigerian journalists’ knowledge, perception and use of the FOI Law in the discharge of their (information) responsibility to the public. With respondents drawn from four Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) chapels, precisely, Enugu and Anambra, Imo and Ebonyi South-East zone, this study employing survey research methodology, finds that the FOI law as it applies in principles is still not symmetrical with pragmatic access to information. This perhaps accounted for the ambivalent responses got from the respondents - all are aware of the law; some consent an improvement in access to information but ironically, greater majority have never made use of the law in the discharge of their journalistic responsibilities. The researchers, therefore, recommend that the different journalistic, media bodies and media right groups must deliberately plan and monitor workshops and conferences synergetically and must be willing to firmly support journalists who may be hindered by bureaucratic bottlenecks that may result in litigations.
Key words: FOI law, knowledge, perception.
