By Caleb Ayansina and Imanuel Jannah

ABUJA – The Director General (DG) of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Brig-Gen. Suleiman Zakari Kazaure has charged Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) desk officers of the scheme to come up with strategies that will enhance NYSC’s compliance with the provisions of the Act.
Speaking during the opening ceremony of the 2016 NYSC FOIA Desk Officers’ workshop in Abuja, Kazaure called on them to give priority attention to proper record keeping, probity and accountability in the management of the scheme’s information database so as to enhance service delivery.

“I urge you to participate meaningfully and come up with better strategies to enhance our compliance with the FOI Act. At the end of the training, you are expected to return to your offices and sensitize all staff.

“Priority attention should be given to proper record keeping, probity and accountability in the management of resources and adherence to due process in the conduct of our operations so as to enhance our service delivery,” he said.

He explained that the workshop was aimed at improving on the performance of schedule officers regarding the implementation of the FOIA, and boosting their speed of response to requests.

The DG noted that after the last edition of the workshop in 2015, there was tremendous improvement of its information and management system in line with the FOIA adding that the training will help sustain full compliance.

In her welcome address, the Director of Press and Public Relations of NYSC, Mrs. Bose Aderibigbe revealed that beyond swift responses to public requests, the scheme was working towards enhancing its proactive disclosures of information through its official website in consonance with section 2 of the FOIA which requires public institutions to make certain “proactive disclosures to the public.”