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General News on Wednesday, February 13, 2019
Source: citinewsroom.com
2019-02-13
The amendment states that the bill must come into force the following year
Parliament approved an amendment to the Right to Information Bill (RTI), which aims to extend the date of entry into force of the bill after its adoption.
The amendment states that the bill is to come into force during the next year following its approval by Parliament and the approval of its president.
The majority leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, in Parliament today, explained that the one – year operationalization period will allow the government to fully prepare for the financial consequences of the deployment of the draft. long awaited law.
"The fact is that the bill on the right to information has a huge financial implication. That is why in some jurisdictions like Canada, it took five years to enforce the law when it was pbaded. When Australia pbaded the law, it took them two years to make it operational. Mr. Speaker, this year's budget does not include any provision for the application of the law if Parliament is adopted and the Speaker agrees. So, I guess what we could do to tell us that the law will come into effect as of the fiscal year 2020. "
He also called on the government to allocate budget appropriations to the Access to Information Bill in subsequent supplementary budgets so that the necessary offices can be created this year to allow for transparent implementation of the budget. bill in 2020.
"We urge the government that, if they come with an extra budget, arrangements be made for implementation to begin in earnest. So when we get into the next fiscal year, 2020, we will have a full implementation of the right to information bill. We need to form information offices. We need allocated information desks, and in some cases, "he added.
In the meantime, the House has not yet pbaded the bill as a whole, which has been in the public interest for some time now since his long stay in Parliament.
The adoption of the bill has recently fallen behind due to the controversy over its operationalization within 12 months or as soon as it is adopted.
The RTI bill has been in Parliament for almost two decades, but has not yet been pbaded despite calls from the media and civil society groups.
Decide Tuesday when the RTI Bill should work after its adoption – Parliament to Executive
The Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Oquaye, had previously left the executive arm of the government until Tuesday, February 5 to advise the House on the date on which the right to information bill, expected for so long, should come into force, which will facilitate its smooth implementation after its adoption. .
"We will give the executive time until Tuesday to engage with this honorable badembly and determine whether they can enforce this decision immediately or not. And I know that the executive will take a very good consideration of the issue. So quote the case for Tuesday so that the Attorney General will notify us in writing or in person so that we conclude this case to the satisfaction of all of our people, "he said. added.
Coalition calls for new amendments to RTI bill
Three advocacy groups wanted the Right to Information Bill (RTI) pbaded had already called for further amendments to the bill to bring it into line with the 1992 constitution.
Ghana, the Media Coalition on RTI and OccupyGhana explained that the coalition's technical committee had reviewed the amendments made to date by Parliament and recommended to Parliament two main issues that merited further consideration.
Regarding the amendments to clause 13, a joint lobbying statement noted that Clause 13 exempts information revealing an opinion, advice, recommendation, consultation or deliberation given to a public institution because it could undermine the deliberative processes of this institution.
Although the coalition recognized the need to facilitate the effective functioning of government and the state, the coalition felt that any limitation of the constitutional right to information should be narrowly defined.
Unfortunately, the current draft article 13 could easily be misinterpreted to dilute seriously, if not completely, the right to information.
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