A recent attempt by a Nigerian activist group, BudgeIT to break the iron curtain of secrecy was rebuffed by the Legal Services Department of the National Assembly.
BudgetIT had on 14 march written a latter to the National Assembly, requesting a breakdown of the N600 billion that members appropriated to themselves in four years.
The request was made using the Freedom of Information Act, enacted by the Assembly four years ago, with fanfare to encourage transparency and accountability.
But in a response by an acting director of Litigation and Counselling of the Assembly’s legal services department, the request was outrightly rejected.
