Watchdog welcomes planned establishment of gov’t information desk

JUBA – South Sudan civil society watchdog, the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), has welcomed the announcement by the government that it is planning to establish a information desk to ease access of the public to important data.

Last week, information minister Michael Makuei Lueth while speaking during an opening session of a one-day training on access to information in Juba said the information desks will make access to information easier for citizens.

“It gives even the citizens the right to access information in any office and this is why we are talking of establishing information desks in all institutions and ministries so that when a citizen goes there and he wants information, it is the information officer who will know what type of information is there,” he said.

In a statement extended to Sudans Post, the Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) Edmund Yakani welcomed the government decision to establish a information desk stressing that it will cement accountability.

“CEPO welcomed the idea of government ministry of information to establish an instrument for easing access to public information for public consumption,” Yakani said in the statement dated today.

“Timely access to information lay down foundation for genuine accountability and transparency including justice. Among key factors that have created concrete for corrupt practices in public, private and non-governmental sectors,” he added.

The civil society watchdog further said it is “ready to cooperate with the ministry of information for operationalization of the idea.”