The government is fully committed to implementing the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2019 (Act 989), as stated by Minister of Information Mr. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah.
Speaking at a public forum on Wednesday in Accra to review the RTI Act three years after it was put into effect, the Minister emphasized how committed the government is to making sure the law is implemented effectively in order to advance accountability and openness in the management of public resources.
“As we stand on the precipice of a more transparent future, let us consider the insights gleaned from this research as guiding stars. Our commitment to the Right to Information must be unwavering, and our resolve to address challenges resolute,” he said.
The Minister’s remarks are the result of an extensive research project that the Ministry of Information commissioned, with an emphasis on actions made to evaluate the law’s adaptability and enforcement since it was passed in 2019.
The study, which was carried out in 2022, looked at operational plans, the functions of civil society organizations, and the difficulties encountered when Ghana was putting the law into effect.
Key survey findings were presented by Mr. Oppong Nkrumah, who listed institutional culture, a lack of resources, and the delay in passing the Legislative Instrument as some of the obstacles preventing the full implementation of the survey.
He noted that the RTI Bill had been sitting on the shelves for more than 20 years. As a result, he commended the tenacity and cooperative efforts of legislators, civil society organizations, and the general public in achieving the bill’s passage and eventual president’s assent in May 2019.
Stakeholders were given a forum to express their opinions and reaffirm their commitment to the RTI Act’s full implementation.
The RTI Commission’s Executive Secretary, Mr. Yaw Sarpong Boateng, for his part, described the difficulties the Commission had in putting the Act into practice and voiced hope that the adoption of a Legislative Instrument would provide the law’s implementation more defined paths.
The Access to Information Division’s Director, Dr. Winnifred Nafisa Mahama, for her part, emphasized the law’s accomplishments and noted that since it was passed in 2019, improvements in public service transparency have started to show.
She continued by saying that the general consensus highlighted the need for an all-encompassing and cooperative strategy to overcome the obstacles and guarantee the long-term viability of the RTI law.
To guarantee the RTI law’s success, lecturer and private attorney Mr. Zakaria Tanko Musah advocated for teamwork, deeply rooted systems, and devoted leadership.
