As the call for transparency and good governance intensifies across the Federal Capital Territory, Chronicles Reporters has announced its intention to file formal Freedom of Information (FOI)requests to the Kwali and Kuje Area Councils.
The move, according to the media organization, is part of an ongoing nationwide accountability project aimed at ensuring openness in the management of public funds at the local government level.
The FOI letters, to be submitted in the coming days, will request detailed information on federal allocations, internally generated revenue (IGR), and contracts awarded by both councils from January 2020 to October 2025. The request specifically seeks data on:
• The total monthly allocations received from the Federation Account;
• A breakdown of capital and recurrent expenditures;
• Lists of contractors, contract amounts, project locations, and completion status;
• Details of procurement processes and tender board approvals;
• Reports on constituency or community-based projects financed through council funds.
According to Chronicles Reporters, the request is being made in the public interest to promote accountability, citizen engagement, and transparency in the management of local council resources.
“The era of secrecy in governance is over,” said the editorial team in a statement. “Citizens have the right to know how their resources are being managed. Local councils are the closest to the people, yet often the least transparent. We are determined to change that narrative through lawful and evidence-based journalism.”
The team emphasized that the FOI letters are not acts of hostility but rather an exercise of civic duty under the Freedom of Information Act 2011, which empowers citizens and media organizations to request public records from any government institution.
This step follows recent investigations by Chronicles Reporters into alleged mismanagement of council allocations in parts of the FCT, where several multimillion-naira projects were reportedly abandoned or untraceable.
The organization stated that copies of the FOI requests will also be sent to the FCT Minister’s Office, the National Orientation Agency (NOA), and relevant civil society organizations monitoring public accountability in the FCT.
As part of its broader investigative campaign tagged #OpenTheCouncilBooks, Chronicles Reporters plans to extend similar FOI requests to other councils including Gwagwalada, Bwari, and Abaji, ensuring every local government within the FCT is subjected to the same standard of scrutiny.
“We are not just demanding answers,” the team added, “we are setting a new standard for civic journalism — where information becomes the weapon of truth, and transparency becomes the foundation of governance.”
This initiative reinforces Chronicles Reporters’ commitment to information as a tool for transformation, and to holding leaders accountable through facts, evidence, and fearless reporting.