The Business & Financial Times: Ghana: Tuesday, 31
March 2026.
The Right to Information of citizens is very fundamental and crucial to good democratic governance for which reason the Right to Information Commission must not relent on its mandate, Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, Member of Parliament for Ho West and Chairman of the Parliamentary Caucus on Open Governance Partnership (OGP) has said.
He maintained that smooth
and unimpeded access to information by all citizens and organizations must be
treated as a human right issue and given the right attention by all
stakeholders including the Right To Information Commission which leads and
champions the cause.
Mr. Bedzrah made the call when he led members of the Parliamentary Caucus on Open Governance Partnership to a fact-finding visit to the RTI offices in Dzorwulu in Accra to assess the operations and state of the Commission and share thoughts with it.
He urged the Commission to put in more effort irrespective of any challenges to let the world know what it stood for and what it was doing to ensure transparency and accountability in the governance of the nation from Government and all institutions alike.
The Executive Secretary, Ms. Genevieve Shirley Lartey disclosed that the Commission has religiously carried out requirements of the National Action Plan (NAP-4) which was committed to rollout administrative and institutional arrangement for the implementation of Act 989 following its passage in 2019 and that commitments under NAP-4 have been reprioritized under NAP-5 to include the development of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials, building capacity of the Public on RTI Law and the passing of regulation for the Legislative Instrument.
Ms. Lartey said the major challenge facing RTIC was funding and subsequent lack of accommodation, a situation that does not augur well for the smooth implementation of its plans and activities.
Mr. Chris Dougan, member of the Governing Board of the Commission, explained that arrangement was far advanced for members of the new Board to be apprised with what was contained in the draft LI before it would be re-submitted to Parliament for consideration.
In response to an issue on Public awareness creation, Mr. Kweku Sersah-Johnson, Technical Advisor, RTIC said the Commission has a Comprehensive Communication Strategy encompassing all aspects of information dissemination and education.
The purpose of the National Action Plan is to improve government transparency and accountability, strengthen public participation in governance and promote open data and anti-corruption efforts.
Members of the Parliamentary Caucus present at the meeting included Mr. Alexander Akwasi Acquah, Vice Chairman of the Caucus, Dominic Napare, Shaibu Mahama, Adelaide Ntim and Kaakyire Asira Gyasi, Assistant Secretary, OGP Caucus. Others were Mr. Kofi Sarpong, Ms Kate Swanzy, Mr. Staphen Owusu, Mr. Michael Duodo-Sakyiama, Miss Audrey Korlekuor Odjeawo and Mr. Baffour Eugene all of the RTIC.
The Right to Information of citizens is very fundamental and crucial to good democratic governance for which reason the Right to Information Commission must not relent on its mandate, Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, Member of Parliament for Ho West and Chairman of the Parliamentary Caucus on Open Governance Partnership (OGP) has said.
Mr. Bedzrah made the call when he led members of the Parliamentary Caucus on Open Governance Partnership to a fact-finding visit to the RTI offices in Dzorwulu in Accra to assess the operations and state of the Commission and share thoughts with it.
He urged the Commission to put in more effort irrespective of any challenges to let the world know what it stood for and what it was doing to ensure transparency and accountability in the governance of the nation from Government and all institutions alike.
The Executive Secretary, Ms. Genevieve Shirley Lartey disclosed that the Commission has religiously carried out requirements of the National Action Plan (NAP-4) which was committed to rollout administrative and institutional arrangement for the implementation of Act 989 following its passage in 2019 and that commitments under NAP-4 have been reprioritized under NAP-5 to include the development of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials, building capacity of the Public on RTI Law and the passing of regulation for the Legislative Instrument.
Ms. Lartey said the major challenge facing RTIC was funding and subsequent lack of accommodation, a situation that does not augur well for the smooth implementation of its plans and activities.
Mr. Chris Dougan, member of the Governing Board of the Commission, explained that arrangement was far advanced for members of the new Board to be apprised with what was contained in the draft LI before it would be re-submitted to Parliament for consideration.
In response to an issue on Public awareness creation, Mr. Kweku Sersah-Johnson, Technical Advisor, RTIC said the Commission has a Comprehensive Communication Strategy encompassing all aspects of information dissemination and education.
The purpose of the National Action Plan is to improve government transparency and accountability, strengthen public participation in governance and promote open data and anti-corruption efforts.
Members of the Parliamentary Caucus present at the meeting included Mr. Alexander Akwasi Acquah, Vice Chairman of the Caucus, Dominic Napare, Shaibu Mahama, Adelaide Ntim and Kaakyire Asira Gyasi, Assistant Secretary, OGP Caucus. Others were Mr. Kofi Sarpong, Ms Kate Swanzy, Mr. Staphen Owusu, Mr. Michael Duodo-Sakyiama, Miss Audrey Korlekuor Odjeawo and Mr. Baffour Eugene all of the RTIC.
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