News Ghana: Ghana: Sunday, 18 May 2025.
Ghana’s Right to
Information (RTI) Law has become a critical instrument in combating illicit
financial flows (IFFs), according to Abena Osei-Asare, Vice President of the
African Organization of Public Accounts Committees (AFROPAC).
Speaking at the 4th African Union Specialized Technical Committee on Tax and IFFs in Lusaka, Zambia, Osei-Asare highlighted the law’s unintended yet impactful role in fostering transparency.
“Though the RTI Law wasn’t designed to tackle IFFs, it has empowered journalists, civil society, and citizens to demand accountability from public institutions,” she stated in a Facebook post following the forum. As Chair of Ghana’s Public Accounts Committee, Osei-Asare emphasized the law’s utility in probing mining licenses and tracking funds through the Financial Intelligence Centre.
Osei-Asare, a former Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, urged legislators to leverage parliamentary tools, debates, hearings, and civil society collaboration to strengthen oversight. “The ideas are clear; the tools are in our hands. Let’s get to work!” she declared.
Her remarks come amid continental efforts to address IFFs, which drain an estimated $88.6 billion annually from Africa. Ghana’s RTI Law, enacted in 2019, has enabled grassroots scrutiny of government transactions, aligning with AFROPAC’s push for systemic accountability reforms.
The Lusaka forum, attended by policymakers and experts, underscored the need for multi-stakeholder action to curb financial leaks. Osei-Asare’s advocacy positions Ghana as a regional model in utilizing legislative frameworks to combat economic crimes.
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| Abena Osei Asare |
Speaking at the 4th African Union Specialized Technical Committee on Tax and IFFs in Lusaka, Zambia, Osei-Asare highlighted the law’s unintended yet impactful role in fostering transparency.
“Though the RTI Law wasn’t designed to tackle IFFs, it has empowered journalists, civil society, and citizens to demand accountability from public institutions,” she stated in a Facebook post following the forum. As Chair of Ghana’s Public Accounts Committee, Osei-Asare emphasized the law’s utility in probing mining licenses and tracking funds through the Financial Intelligence Centre.
Osei-Asare, a former Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, urged legislators to leverage parliamentary tools, debates, hearings, and civil society collaboration to strengthen oversight. “The ideas are clear; the tools are in our hands. Let’s get to work!” she declared.
Her remarks come amid continental efforts to address IFFs, which drain an estimated $88.6 billion annually from Africa. Ghana’s RTI Law, enacted in 2019, has enabled grassroots scrutiny of government transactions, aligning with AFROPAC’s push for systemic accountability reforms.
The Lusaka forum, attended by policymakers and experts, underscored the need for multi-stakeholder action to curb financial leaks. Osei-Asare’s advocacy positions Ghana as a regional model in utilizing legislative frameworks to combat economic crimes.
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