Peace FM: Ghana: Wednesday, June 14, 2017.
On 7th January
2017, RTI advocates, the media and other sympathizers of the age long campaign
for the passage of the RTI Bill observed with dismay as the 6th Parliament of
the 4th Republic of Ghana dissolved without fulfilling the many promises made
on the passage of one of, if not the oldest, Bill in Parliament, the RTI Bill,
which was introduced to that August house in December 2013.
For those who
are familiar with political antics and maneuvering in Ghana, the failure to
pass the RTI Bill did not come as a surprise. But it took little time before
the expectations of those who may have been optimistic about the passage of the
Bill were dashed abruptly.
Indeed for
these optimists, it came as a rude shock when Members of Parliament began a
political tussle of which political party would take the glory of being the
government to pass the Bill into law, when as a matter of fact, both
governments have had the opportunity of deciding the fate of the Bill at one
point or another.
A common
trend that cuts across the political divide is the consensus that there is a
need to put the RTI legislation in place. However what is lacking has been the
political will to actually pass the law.
As a cover up
for this leadership weakness, political leaders resorted to making promises and
giving assurances of their commitment on public platforms as a way of dousing
the skepticism of the masses who continue to be patient and tolerant of the
rhetoric that has over the years been associated with the passage of the Bill.
Every single
international event/platform on corruption and transparency became an
opportunity to showcase this commitment which sadly, is yet to materialize.
Today, with a
new government in power, the promises and assurances have continued. The
President and the Vice President as well as other government officials have
expressed their desire to see the speedy passage of the Bill.
His
Excellency, the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia Speaking about the RTI
Bill and the new government’s resolve to fight corruption at a Good Corporate
Governance Initiative event in Accra on Tuesday, January 31st, 2017, stated as
follows: “we are going to have to push parliament to make the necessary
amendments and if I had my way, it should be passed within these first 100 days
of this government”
Additionally,
on May 3rd 2017, the Minister for Information speaking at a public lecture
organized by the GJA to mark the International Press Freedom Day categorically
stated ‘As per the calendar that we have sent to Parliament, it is in there
that in the May to July 2017 Session of Parliament, the RTI Bill will be before
them for debate and passage. It’s non-negotiable”
Despite these
resounding promises and assurances, the 7th Parliament on May 30th 2017,
resumed its second sitting for the year 2017, but to the chagrin of Ghanaians,
the RTI Bill was conspicuously missing on the agenda.
Although
several other Bills were listed and the agenda indicates that other Bills would
also be considered; one would have thought that the one and only Bill that has
generated a lot of public comments and criticisms would have been the no 1 item
on the agenda, at least to encourage the public that this government does not
intend to sleep on its promises.
Ghanaians
would recall how the 6th Parliament was cajoled and criticized with the hope
that they will pass the RTI Bill before that Parliament lapsed, but all the
calls and pleas fell on deaf ears.
The 6th
Parliament adopted a snail speed approach to the debate and discussions on the
Bill as though they had a lifetime in Parliament to pass the Bill. It would
appear that the 7th Parliament is desirous of adopting the same approach, as
could be discerned from the statement by the Acting Director of Public Affairs,
Ms. Kate Addo, when she stated: ‘Parliament has the luxury of time before its
tenure ends therefore there is the possibility of it being passed at some
point’
Some of the
Bills listed on the agenda include National Employment Bill 2017, Ghana Cocoa
Board (Amendment Bill) 2017 and Ghana Railway Development Bill, 2017, to
mention but a few, however, none of these Bills is as old and urgent as the RTI
Bill.
The RTI Bill
is crucial and fundamental to all other Bills that Parliament may decide to
consider. Indeed, without information, Parliament will be unable to effectively
scrutinize Bills to enable their passage into law.
Having come
from an era of empty promises, it will be very crucial and refreshing for the
7th Parliament to prioritise, without public pressure, the debate and
discussion of the RTI Bill and for the NPP government to re-write this history
and deliver to Ghanaians this all important legislation.