Public Agenda NewsPaperPublic Agenda NewsPaper
  • General News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Health
  • Development Agenda
  • World News
  • Features & Opinions
  • Election watch
  • Editorial
Font ResizerAa
Public Agenda NewsPaperPublic Agenda NewsPaper
Font ResizerAa
  • General News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Health
  • Development Agenda
  • World News
  • Features & Opinions
  • Election watch
  • Editorial
Search
  • General News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Health
  • Development Agenda
  • World News
  • Features & Opinions
  • Election watch
  • Editorial
Follow US
Breaking NewsGeneral Newstop stories

On the Right to Information bill… Will the President walk the talk?

Latifa Carlos
Last updated: March 12, 2018 12:43 pm
Latifa Carlos
Share
5 Min Read
Mustapha Hamid, Information Minister
Mustapha Hamid, Information Minister
SHARE

Questions are being asked by individuals and civil society groups advocating for the passage of the Right to Information Bill whether President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo- Addo meant business when he mentioned government’s readiness to pass the bill before Parliament rises.

Their doubts stems from the fact that this is not the first time such statements had been made by politicians regarding their willingness to pass the RTI, yet the bill has existed for over a decade without it being passed.

The President said while addressing the nation at the 61st independence Anniversary Celebration in Accra on Tuesday that the Right to Information Bill is critical in the fight against corruption, promising to present it to Parliament again for passage before the House rises.

He told Ghanaians, “There is, however, one piece of the anti-corruption framework that is yet to be put in place; The Right to Information Act. It would increase transparency and add another critical weapon to the armoury in the fight against corruption.
“After many years of hesitation, we intend to bring a Bill again to Parliament and work to get it passed into law before Parliament rises. The protection of the public purse is a social common good, and it depends on all of us. It is in all our interest that corruption does not thrive, and we police each other’s behaviour.”

With the above statement from the first gentleman of the land, they are optimistic that this could be the last of such statement considering the platform the he chose to make those remarks.

In an interview with Public Agenda on Thursday, The Executive Secretary of the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition, Beauty Emefa Nartey said the pronouncement was encouraging especially for those who are advocating for the RTI bill to be passed.

The Bill when passed will give power to the constitutional provision that gives every Ghanaian the right to information. It will form the basis for every citizen to go to any government agency to demand information that should be public but may have been unpublished.

She noted however that “As we are always expecting that this bill should be passed, I think that if he is  able  to lay it in Parliament  before  this  meeting rises, it is  something that we will really commend  him  for.  I think he will get a lot of commendation from us.”

She observed that the platform he made the comment on, was a serious one because it is not a political platform, stressing, “it  is a platform that any remark that you make should be taken seriously.”

She continued, “the platform was to commemorate Ghana’s Independence Day so I think that it should be taken seriously. I think the president himself should give us the benefit of the doubt that he will not disrespect that platform on which he made that statement.”

Her position was earlier corroborated by Mr Sulemana Braimah, Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West African and a member of the Right to Information Coalition, who stated that  the Platform on which the  President made the comment was a memorable one .

Mr Braimah told myjoyonline.com on Tuesday he had confidence the President will live up to the promise.

He said “I think it is a welcoming piece of news. The New Patriotic Party [the President’s party] in their campaign manifesto highlighted it as one of the things they will do [to deal with corruption] and on assumption of office a number of promises have been made.

“But I think this is the first time that we are hearing from the President himself directly at an important forum such as the Independence Day anniversary and not only has he made a promise, I think it is important that he has put a timeline to it,”

The Right to Information Coalition that has been pushing for the passage of the bill into law believes the law will deepen transparency and firm up Ghana’s democracy.
 

 

By Mohammed Suleman

Share This Article
Facebook Whatsapp Whatsapp Email Copy Link Print

Latest News

Ablekuma North: EC to rerun Parliamentary Election in 19 Polling Stations
July 2, 2025
Mid-Year budget to clarify road contractor payments – Ampem Nyarko
July 2, 2025
 ISODEC Urges Citizens to Engage More in Local Governance Processes 
July 2, 2025
Mfantseman Youth Trained to Strengthen Local Governance Participation 
July 2, 2025
Government Reaffirms Commitment to Investment-Friendly Environment to Attract Development Financing
July 1, 2025
New UN report charts path out of debt crisis threatening global development
June 30, 2025
World Bank backs Ghana $360m to strengthen macroeconomic stability
June 30, 2025

You Might Also Like

Breaking NewsElection watchtop stories

GJA holds national and regional elections today

June 30, 2025
Breaking NewsBusinesstop stories

PURC announces 2.45% increase in Electricity tariffs from July 1

June 26, 2025
Breaking NewsBusinesstop stories

Iran cannot unilaterally shut Strait of Hormuz – NPA boss

June 23, 2025
Breaking NewsBusinesstop stories

Israel-Iran war: Fuel prices likely to rise in July – COPEC

June 23, 2025

About Us

Public Agenda is fou­nded and owned by Pu­blic Agenda Communic­ations.

Public Agenda was founded as a public interest Me­dia entity. Its Visi­on is to contribute to building a well-i­nformed society where accurate informati­on dissemination is the cornerstone of a democratic, just and equitable society.

Its mission is to inform, guide and bui­ld responsible citiz­enship and accountab­le decision making and strive for excell­ence in the media in­dustry. Public Agenda Communications is managed by a Board of Directors.

Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?