Officials from the Right To Information (RTI) Commission have conducted a sensitization program for staff at the Ghana News Agency.
The session aimed to educate participants on the RTI Act, 2019 (Act 989) and its significance.
This initiative is part of the Commission's mandate to inform individuals and institutions about their rights and responsibilities under the Act, ensuring their active participation in an informed society.
Mr. Andrew Adu Boahene, an official from the Enforcement, Investigation, and Compliance Department of the Commission, led the session.
He provided insights into the process of requesting information, the timelines for responding to requests, and the Commission's role in protecting and promoting the right to information as granted by the Act and the Constitution.
Explaining the application process, Mr. Boahene highlighted that individuals should identify the relevant public institution, draft and submit their information request, and expect a response within 14 days.
He also stressed that a person has the right to information under the provisions of the Act, and this right can be exercised through an application made following the Act's guidelines.
Mr. Boahene elaborated on the Commission's functions, which include issuing written orders for reproducing information, examining, reproducing, or taking extracts from information, and holding hearings in public.
The Commission is also responsible for resolving complaints, publishing its findings, recommendations, orders, decisions, and directives, and conducting matters with as little technicality as possible to expedite the process.
He mentioned that some information is exempt from the Act, including classified information intended for the President, Vice President, cabinet, national security, and public safety.
The Right to Information Act, passed by the Ghanaian Parliament in 2019 and assented to by the President in the same year, grants citizens constitutional rights to access information held by public institutions.
The Act's primary goal is to promote transparency and accountability by enabling citizens to access information from both central and local governments and publicly funded non-governmental organizations.
- Reporting by Jesse Ampah Owusu: Editing by Adewale Adejoke
