SERAP boosts anti-corruption campaign with FOI training for university students

The Social and Economic Rights Accountability Project (SERAP) has moved to boost the combat against corruption successful the state by organizing a store connected the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act for students of tertiary institutions.

The workshop, with the theme, ‘Stand-Up for Human Rights’, is an inaugural of the SERAP Accountability Club (SAC).

Through the SAC programme, SERAP supports the combat against corruption by promoting the regularisation of law, transparency and accountability successful the absorption of nationalist resources, and respect for quality rights.

Participants astatine the event, which held successful Abuja, see students from University of Abuja, University of Ilorin, Imo authorities University, Enugu State University, Bayero University, and University of Jos, among others.

SERAP’s ineligible advisor, Andrew Nwankwo, noted that FOI, erstwhile good utilized, tin beryllium utilized to clasp authorities accountable.

Nwankwo nevertheless observed that the FOI has been nether utilized by citizens. The request to guarantee effectual usage of the ineligible instrumentality informed the determination to clasp the store for the undergraduates.

He said, “FOI is 1 facet of ideology that we see to beryllium underutilised.

“We judge ideology is each astir asking questions, making demands, and holding the authorities accountable. This tin lone beryllium achieved by equipping people, particularly young people, with the skills and cognition to usage FOI requests effectively.

“Our extremity is to promote younker to marque informed demands of the government, ensuring transparency connected matters citizens are entitled to know.”

During the workshop, participants were taught to question authorities actions and inactions by making requests for applicable accusation from nationalist institutions.

Nwankwo added, “By grooming these young minds, we are empowering them to spell beyond specified questioning and actively question accusation that volition lend to nationalist growth.”

SERAP Programme Officer and SAC Coordinator, Folashade Arigbabu, explained that the SAC was established successful 2021 arsenic a level to equip students with the tools, cognition and assurance to advocator for transparency, accountability and bully governance.

According to Arigbabu, SAC presently has chapters successful 12 universities, and implicit 2,000 progressive volunteers from much than 110 universities crossed the country.

She noted that the club’s ngo is to make Nigeria’s aboriginal leaders by instilling successful them the skills and dedication required to champion transparency and accountability.

Arigbabu further said, “The thought down SAC was to make a level wherever students could larn and prosecute meaningfully with issues surrounding governance, state of expression, and entree to information. Today’s league is simply a applicable store connected drafting Freedom of Information requests, empowering students with actionable skills.

“SAC is unfastened to passionate Nigerian students who privation to larn however to efficaciously prosecute successful governance and advocacy beyond specified online expressions. This committedness to empowering young Nigerians is an concern successful the nation’s aboriginal leaders.”

According to the SERAP programme officer, beyond workshops, SAC has intervened successful assorted issues successful Nigerian universities.

She specifically highlighted the solution of a lawsuit successful the University of Jos, involving a final-year aesculapian pupil who was barred from penning exams.