President Akufo-Addo on Monday evening, October 19, 2020 swore in a seven-member Commission to implement the Right to Information (RTI) law.
They include retired High Court judge, Justice K. A. Ofori-Atta who chairs the Right to Information Commission and Elizabeth Asare, his Deputy.
The rest are Yaw Sarpong Boateng, the Executive Secretary, whilst Victoria Susuawu, Dr. Edith Dankwa, Nana Kwame Duah, and David Oppon-Kusi who are members of the Commission.
At swearing in at the Jubilee House (presidency), President Akufo-Addo charged members of the Commission to do all within their powers to ensure the proper functioning of the office in accordance with the RTI Act, 2019 (Act 970).
Coming from rich backgrounds with years of experience, he asked them to their knowledge to bear on the work of the Commission to make it a success.
“The law also requires you as board members to ensure the proper functioning of the Commission. The diversity of the composition of this board must come to bear on the decisions that the Commission in resolving complaints and other matters that may come to it”, was how he put it.
He could not but take pride in the steps taken by his administration towards the realisation of the Right to Information law which according to the President demonstrates the determination of his government to adhere to the principles of accountable governance, entrenched democracy and vigorously fight corruption.
President Akufo-Addo thus gave them his word “I assure the Commission that government is committed to providing it with the requisite resources needed for its full operation.”
Chairman of the Commission, Justice K. A. Ofori-Atta (Rtd), on his own and behalf of his colleague members of the Commission thanked the President and the government and people of Ghana for the honour than them with their appointment.
He pledged their commitment to discharge their duties in line with the law that established the Commission.
The RTI
The Right to Information (RTI) Act, (Act 970), became law in Ghana after the Act received Presidential assent on Tuesday May 21, 2019.
Parliament passed the Right to Information (RTI) Bill on the 26th of March 2019.
The implementation of the RTI Act came into effect January 2020, with the law intended to provide for the operationalisation of the constitutional right to information held by the public as well as some private institutions, subject to exemptions that are necessary and consistent with the protection of public interest in a democratic society.
The Act also seeks to foster a culture of transparency and accountability in public affairs and to provide for related matters.
The RTI Act was first drafted in 1999, reviewed in 2003, 2005 and 2007 but was only presented to Parliament in 2010.
It could however not be passed due to the many recommendations of amendment.
It was brought back to the sixth Parliament but could not be passed till the expiration of that Parliament on January 6, 2016.
Moves to get the bill passed received increased momentum in 2017 following the formation of the Media Coalition on RTI.
The Coalition with support from other civil society organisations piled pressure on Parliament to get the Bill passed.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent