By John Agok
The National information Minister of South Sudan on Tuesday instructed all public offices to establish an information office in a bid to ease access to information by the media and public so as to encourage freedom of expression in the Country.
Michael Makuei Lueth who is also the government spokesperson made this decree on Tuesday while opening a one day exercise organised by Information Commission with support from UNESCO to train national undersecretaries and Office Managers, on national and international legal framework on rights of access to information.
The minister believe that, after the training, access of information in government custody will be easy by all South Sudanese nationals.
“This training is going make your work easier when it comes to media access and public information, it is now time for all national Ministries and any other public offices to set up offices information desks attended by an information officer,” he said.
He however, warned the officials against giving all information because he holds that the public should get all forms of public information but classified information should not be disseminated carelessly.
The minister extolled the Media laws presently reigning in South Sudan although he also slummed it saying it is not well enforced and there is also limited respect of the right to information in both private and public offices as well as some individuals.
“Our laws are the best laws in the region, we only lack application and respect to the right of information access. We also need resources to institute offices for archive and information officers,” he concluded.
South Sudan created an information commission in 2016, having enacted laws that paved way for public institutions to access information through media.
