Uses and challenges of Freedom of Information Act among journalists in Kogi State, Nigeria

AbstractThe study examined the uses and challenges of Freedom of Information Act, 2011 among journalists in Kogi State. It specifically assessed the knowledge level of Freedom of Information Act among the journalists, the extent of usage as well as the challenges to the implementation of the Act among the journalists. The study was anchored on the Libertarian theory of the press. Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and in-depth interviews were employed to gather data for the study. Six FGD sessions were conducted with 48 practicing and registered journalists across five media outlets as well as the correspondence chapel of the NUJ, Kogi State. This sample was purposively selected for the study. The in-depth interviews were conducted with heads of the media houses selected for FGDs and the chairman of NUJ, Kogi State Chapter. The findings of the study revealed that journalists in Kogi State are aware of the existence of Freedom of Information Act but they lack adequate knowledge of its provisions. It was also revealed that journalists in Kogi State do not use the provisions of the Act in their professional duties. Challenges inhibiting the implementation of FOIA in Kogi State were identified, and they include low level of knowledge of the contents of the Act by the journalists, lack of commitment by the journalists to understanding the contents of the Act among others. The study therefore recommended that there should be constant training and retraining of Kogi State journalists on the provisions of the FOI Act