Right to Information Commission must protect citizens’ human rights — Parliamentary caucus
The Right To Information Commission (RTIC) has been encouraged not to relent on its mandate to ensure that citizens’ right to information is respected and upheld.
Also, the smooth and unimpeded access to information by all citizens and organisations must be treated as a human right issue and given the right attention by all stakeholders, as that is fundamental and crucial to good democratic governance.
The Member of Parliament for Ho West and Chairman of the Parliamentary Caucus on Open Governance Partnership (OGP), Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, made the call when he led members of the Parliamentary Caucus on a visit to the RTI offices in Accra to assess the operations and state of the Commission.
Meeting
The meeting was also an opportunity for the representatives to share ideas on issues of common interest.
Members of the Parliamentary Caucus present at the meeting included Alexander Akwasi Acquah (Vice Chairman of the Caucus), Dominic Napare, Shaibu Mahama, Adelaide Ntim and Kaakyire Asira Gyasi (Assistant Secretary, OGP Caucus).
Representing the RTIC were Kofi Sarpong, Kate Swanzy, Staphen Owusu, Michael Duodo-Sakyiama, Audrey Korlekuor Odjeawo and Baffour Eugene.
Mr Bedzrah urged the Commission to put in more effort, irrespective of any challenges, to let the world know what it stood for and what it was doing to ensure transparency and accountability in the governance of the nation from the government and all institutions alike.
“The right to information is a fundamental human right of any democratic society and it is to ensure that such rights are respected that the RTIC has been set up.
“The Commission must, therefore, do all within its mandate, regardless of the challenges, to ensure that this basic right is upheld,” Mr Bedzrah stressed.
Efforts
The Executive Secretary of the RTIC, Genevieve Shirley Lartey, disclosed that the Commission has religiously carried out the requirements of the National Action Plan (NAP-4), which was committed to rolling out administrative and institutional arrangements for the implementation of Act 989 following its passage in 2019.
She said commitments under NAP-4 have been reprioritised under NAP-5 to include the development of information, education and communication (IEC) materials, building capacity of the public on RTI Law and the passing of a regulation for the Legislative Instrument.
Ms. Lartey said the major challenge facing the RTIC was funding and subsequent lack of accommodation, a situation that does not augur well for the smooth implementation of its plans and activities.
In response to an issue on public awareness creation, the Technical Advisor, RTIC, Kweku Sersah-Johnson, said the Commission has a comprehensive communication strategy encompassing all aspects of information dissemination and education.
“The purpose of the national action plan is to improve government transparency and accountability, strengthen public participation in governance and promote open data and anti-corruption efforts,” Mr Sersah-Johnson explained.
