Stakeholders call for passage of Right to Information Bill
Speakers at a public lecture have called on Parliament to expedite action on the passage of the Right to Information (RTI) Bill into a law.
They said the absence of the law was a hindrance to freedom of expression and undermined democracy, public accountability and good governance.
The lecture was organised by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), in collaboration with the European Union (EU), in Accra last Saturday to herald the celebration of World Press Freedom Day scheduled for tomorrow, May 3, 2016.
It was on the theme “Promoting Transparency and Informed Choices in a Democracy: the Role of Right to Information” and brought together stakeholders such as the executive of the GJA, journalists, National Media Commission (NMC), and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).
The RTI
The RTI, which is currently at the consideration stage in Parliament, was laid before the legislative body in 2002 to be passed into a law.
It is meant to facilitate access to information and documents by individuals and groups from public agencies. It also includes the right to observe or study any written document.
The essence of the RTI is to give meaning to Article 21(1) of the 1992 Constitution which states that “All persons shall have the right to information subject to such qualifications and laws as are necessary in a democratic society.”
The bill provides for access to information held by public institutions as well as private institutions performing public functions and qualifications and conditions under which access to information held by public institutions should be obtained.
It also spells out the establishment of the right to information commission to ensure independence of the review process.
Hindrance to constitutional rights
Delivering the lecture on the theme, the Chairman of the NMC, Mr Kwesi Gyan Apenteng, said the difficulty in accessing information from state institutions was a stumbling block to the enjoyment of constitutional rights.
“We need to remind ourselves that the demand for the right to information law arose in response to government secrecy even in countries that are considered to be traditionally democratic.”
“The public gave out their rights to some people in return for protection. It is important that they know how that right is guarded and this can only be possible when they have access to information,” he said.
Advantages
He said the passage of the bill into a law would not only help to promote the watchdog role of journalists, but also help to break bureaucratic barriers to information on development processes.
Mr Apenteng observed that the law would prevent the situation whereby some journalists and the public relied on lies, conjecture, fabrications and leaks.
“The fight against poverty must include the ability to find relevant information and use it to probe proper functioning of government machinery and agencies. This will ensure sustainable development,” he said.
The Regional Coordinator of the CommonWealth Human Rights Initiative, Mrs Mina Mensah, who delivered a lecture from the civil society perspective, said citizens must have access to right information to make informed choices.
“We need to tune our mind to the fact that the law is critical to our development. A lack of the law creates a sense of disempowerment,” she said.
Mrs Mensah said access to justice and protection for citizens was connected to a robust right to information law regime.
Enhancement of professionalism
The Vice-President of GJA, Mr Mathias Tibu, said the law was a priority for the association because it would facilitate the flow of information and enhance professionalism among journalists.
The World Press Freedom Index ranked Ghana second in Africa and 26th in the world, an indication that the country has a fairly stable press environment.
The GJA Vice-President however, said more ought to be done to consolidate the gains and expand the frontiers of free press in the country.
