Governor Babatunde Fashola of Nigeria’s Lagos State has banned
commissioners, other political office holders and all civil servants from
granting interviews to journalists.
The governor said that any political
office holders who must grant press interviews must take permission from the
Ministry of Information in order not to leak government’s official secrets.
According to the Head of Service,
HOS, Adesegun Ogunlewe, the governor
had directed that no public servant or political office holders must grant
press interviews without due approval.
During his first tenure, Fashola imposed similar ban on
commissioners and other public office holders who took permission from the then
Commissioner for Information and Strategy before granting press interviews.
This restriction made many commissioners look docile and gagged.
Ogunlewe, in a
circular, said: “It has become
imperative as government has observed that some public officials have formed
the habit of granting informal interviews and in the process divulging official
information on public policies which are still under consideration and are not
yet approved for action by government”.
“Consequently, the governor has
directed that no government functionary (public servants and public office
holders) should grant press interviews or issue press statements without the
approval of the Ministry of Information and Strategy”.
“Furthermore,
under no circumstance should any public servants or public office holders
comment or discuss government policies which are still under consideration.
Government is aware that officers may be required to represent their political
heads and read speeches at event, such officers are to limit themselves to the contents
of the written speeches which must have been cleared appropriately prior to the
event by their political heads”, he added.
Ogunlewe warned
that violation of the order would lead to sanctions against any offender.
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