Group Launches FOI App for Android Devices
Lagos, Tuesday, April 15, 2014: Media Rights Agenda (MRA) today launched an Application to enable users of android powered mobile devices to download the Freedom of Information Act 2011 to their handsets, tablets and other devices that use the android operating system in an easy-to-navigate format.
The app was developed by Eko-Konnect for MRA with support from the Ford Foundation. Eko-Konnect is the Lagos cluster of the Nigerian Research and Education Network (ngREN), which aims to support network connectivity and collaboration between education and research organizations.
Announcing the release of the new app in Lagos, MRA’s Executive Director, Mr. Edetaen Ojo, said: “This latest FOI App for android devices complements two similar apps which MRA launched on November 15, 2011 for downloading the FOI Act to java-enabled mobile devices and Blackberry phones.”
According to him, “the development of these applications is part of an ongoing effort by Media Rights Agenda to create awareness about the FOI Act and to make the text of the Law available to Nigerians across all social strata to ensure that it is fully utilized and that it is able to achieve its full potential.”
Mr. Ojo said: “With about 175 million connected mobile telephone lines in Nigeria at the moment, we are convinced that the mobile phone is a veritable platform for making this powerful piece of legislation available to most Nigerians at no cost. This latest app is motivated by the upsurge in the use of android devices in Nigeria since we launched the earlier apps nearly three years ago.”
The android version of the FOI app as well as the java-enabled and Blackberry phones versions, are available for download from MRA’s website at: http://mediarightsagenda.net/web/foi-app/.
Any of the three versions can be downloaded directly into the appropriate device and is automatically installed and ready for use. Alternatively, they can be downloaded into a laptop or desktop computer, transferred to the handset or tablet and then installed.
The FOI android apps comes with a voice call option, the capability to send short message service (SMS) and even email from an android device in which it is installed. These options are to make it easy for users to contact MRA for assistance on the FOI Act.
The app also contains a link to MRA’s website for access to relevant materials on the Act.