The Right to Information Commission (RTIC) has called on civil society organisations and institutions of higher learning to submit proposals and recommendations towards the making of Right to Information Act Legislative Instrument (L.I).
According to the commission, the LI will foster a culture of transparency and accountability in public affairs.
A statement issued in Accra on Monday, February 22, and signed by the Chairman of RTIC, Justice (RTD) K.A Ofori Atta expressed the commission’s preparedness to receive the proposals and recommendations via their email or “postal address, P. O. Box YK1179, Kanda-Accra.”
“The Commission hereby states its readiness to receive complaints via email: rticommissiongh@gmail.com while steps are taken to establish the Commissions office. The Commission is firmly committed to its mandate under the Right to Information Act, 2019, Act 989,” it said.
The statement indicated that funds for the Commission for its take-off was expected to be provided for in the 2021 National Budget.
“The Minister of Information in consultation with the Commission has begun steps to put together regulations by way of Legislative Instrument (L.I) under section 83 of the Right to Information Act 2019, Act 989 to among other things provide for further procedures for access to information under the Act,” the statement added.
Parliament passed the Right to Information Bill on March 26, 2019 and the bill was assented to by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in May 2019.
Thereafter the bill became the Right to Information Act 2019, Act 989. The Act established the Right to Information Commission with the object to promote, monitor, protect and enforce the Right to Information granted to persons under Article 21 paragraph (f) of the 1992 Constitution of the 4th Republic.
Since becoming law, the government through the Ministry of Information began a road map for the implementation of the Act by recruiting and training information officers to assist Public Institutions perform their functions under the Right to Information Act, 2019, Act 989.
Presently, as required under the law, most public institutions have set up information offices or do have an information officer designated to receive and respond to applications for information under the Right to Information Act.
