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Access to information is an essential tool for democracy to flourish.
The 74th General Assembly of the United Nations, recognizing this fact, thus ordained September 28 of each year, the International Day for Universal Access to Information.
Information Minister Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah said this in Accra on Tuesday at a public forum, which was part of the activities marking Right to Know Week.
He said the law required every public institution to have an information unit, adding that as a result, information units had been set up in 539 public institutions across Ghana.
Mr. Oppong-Nkrumah said that one of the key roles of the law is to prepare public institutions to fulfill their obligations and that the Ministry of Information has established the Access to Information Division. within the Department of Information Services, adding that the division was responsible for training and deploying Information Access Officers (ATIs) in ministries, departments and agencies, to facilitate access to information information, on request.
The minister said the division had also provided technical support to ATI agents in their activities, adding that the division had so far trained 1,055 agents, who were responsible for facilitating and processing requests for access to information.
He said the ministry, through the ATI Division of the Information Services Department, had also developed an online case management system, in order to provide computer network solutions that would help manage applications in line as part of the RTI 2019.
The minister said that although it was expected that the RTIC would be represented in every region and district, the online platform would also allow citizens to access information efficiently.
Mr. Opong-Nkrumah said the online application is expected to be up and running by the end of this year.
He specified that in accordance with the RTI law, the Ministry of Information had successfully submitted to Parliament the first annual activity report of public institutions, as well as those of the Commission for the year 2020.
The minister said that his outfit would continue his efforts to ensure the success and effectiveness of the law, and also protect the right of citizens to access information.
He said the government of Ghana has highly recognized the support of all stakeholders for the implementation of the law and is committed to ensuring that the RTI is implemented.
Judge Kwasi Anto Ofori-Atta, Chairman of the Board of the Right to Information Commission (RTIC), said freedom of information promotes transparency in state affairs, makes government more accountable and ultimately reduced corruption.
He said that in order for the country to enjoy the benefits of the law, citizens need to be well informed about their rights and obligations regarding the law.
Judge Ofori-Atta urged the media, civil society organizations and all citizens to take advantage of the act to help build a stronger nation, through responsible governance.
Mr. Charles Abani, United Nations Resident Coordinator, said access to information is a key driver of growth and development.
He said that globally, the UN, UNESCO, UNDP and its partner institutions will host webinars on September 28-29, which will focus on the central role of access to information and of its implementation in the functioning of strong institutions, which contributed to the good public.
Mr. Abani added that he would also focus on the need to strengthen international cooperation in the promotion and implementation of the right to information, as a fundamental human right.
“In many countries laws are passed, but the lens in which they operate is poorly institutionalized, which makes them ineffective,” he said.
Mr Abani said access to information was essential to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and that the UN was working with the media coalition on RTI and the Ministry of Information to build the capacity of people on information monitoring tools.
Mr. Abani said that at the end of their engagement, UNESCO would produce global reports on the progress made in the area of access to information.
He said data, information and knowledge are essential to the progress of any society, adding that access to information will quell the effects of hate speech, disinformation and ensure that citizens can focus and s ” engage constructively.
RTIC launched Right to Know Week on Sunday September 26 to raise awareness of the Right to Information Act.
The RTIC is established under the article of the RTI Law of 2019 (Law 989).
On May 21, 2019, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo enacted the RTI Act, Act.
This was about two months after it was passed by Parliament.
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