NSF to use info act for anti-corruption drive
Morung Express News
November 7
KOHIMA: The State Vigilance Commission has submitted its report and findings of the investigations launched into the Nagaland Public Services Commission (NPSC) bribery scam, to the Government of Nagaland, a government official on condition of anonymity told this paper. According to latest information, the report includes indictment of eight persons including a high ranking NPSC official whose hand was “confirmed” in the scandal. Further details were not divulged.
Meanwhile the Naga Students Federation has expressed its commitment to using the “good weapon of the Right to Information Act (RTI) against the NPSC and the Vigilance” if the latter failed to come up with the report as demanded by the students’ body for which a deadline, November 10, was set. The federation informed that till now no response to the demand for tabling of the investigations finding/report have been submitted to it. NSF president Pushika Awomi told this paper that the RTI Act was a people-friendly act and since the people have the right to know, they should not hesitate to use it against corruption and manipulations from corrupt agencies. ‘We are ready to use the Right to Information Act against the NPSC and the Vigilance Commission in regard to the NPSC scam” Awomi said adding that the “good Weapon” would be used to the fullest advantage against other corrupt agencies.
The President was speaking on the sidelines of a seminar organized by the NSF on the RTI Act. The resource persons were Hekani Jakhalu, Lydia Yeptho, Khetho Yeptho, Angelika, Allen and Yanren from the Youthnet. Apart from discussions and group interactions, various implications of the RTI and its usage were deliberated upon. The proceeding included Identification of issues, applicatory processes, as well as identifying departments/agencies to approach for procuring information.
“We want this to be a youth movement, where the youths and students are motivated to engage in taking up issues of corruption apart from other social issues” said Hekani Jakhalu, resource person at the Youthnet RTI seminar. She said that till now Baptist College and Kohima Science College have been engaged with the RTI workshop adding that more colleges would be initiated to involve in the dissemination of the objectives laid out in the RTI Act. Jakhalu also said that as of now such workshops and seminars were being organized from personal resources and that a partnership with the government was being hoped upon.
