The Executive Secretary of the Right to Information Commission (RIC), Yaw Sarpong Boateng, has advised Ghanaians to make use of the Right to Information Act (RIA) in order to give it effect.
“It is also a way of testing the processes that public institutions have put in place in the implementation of the Right to Information Act,” he explained.
The Act, he said was to foster a culture of transparency and accountability and further guarantee the general public access to information from relevant institutions.
Mr Boateng made the request at a lecture and sensitisation forum held yesterday in Techiman, capital of Bono East Region.
He noted that the RIA Act 2019 (Act 989), stipulated that certain category of persons were exempted from paying fees before accessing information from public institutions and relevant private bodies.
The Executive Secretary cautioned that the ultimate responsibility for liabilities lies with an individual or group of persons who seek for the information, if it be used for criminal purposes or for civil damages.
According to Mr Boateng, although all public institutions and relevant private bodies were obliged to give out information upon request, there were certain information that were deemed classified and exempted from public disclosure.
He noted that “an information officer giving out information has within 14 days to determine whether or not you are entitled to receive that information and when you will receive that information.”
“When access to information is denied, the seeker can ask for internal review from the head of institution within 30 days and a person who is dissatisfied with a decision of the public institution may apply to the RTI commission for a review of the decision,” Mr Boateng stated.
The Bono East Regional Minister, Kwasi Adu Gyan, in a speech read on his behalf, said the more people had access to information, the better society becomes enlightened and informed.
FROM DANIEL DZIRASAH, TECHIMAN
