A consortium of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) has held a Right to Information (RTI) campaign with the media in Tamale to collectively add their voice to the call for quick and smooth passage of the bill into law.
The bill which has lingered in parliament for seventeen years, is currently at the consideration stages. Civil society organizations (CSOs) are advocating amendments before the passage of the RTI bill.
Tuesday’s media engagement sought the views of media personnel in the northern region to enhance a purposeful right to information law after its passage and gazette by the president.
Speaking at the event, the Northern Regional focal officer of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Mr. N. Adam Baani took participants through the principles of the RTI law which focused on some proposed amendments .
Mr Baani threw more light on some of the benefits to Ghanaians when the passage of the RTI bill is written into law . Mr Baani concluded that without the involvement of the CSOs the law may not be passed, stressing that the public be educated to promote the passage.
The CHRAJ focal officer said, the parliament of Ghana in a knee-jerk reaction like those in the past said there are about one hundred and thirty-eight (138) amendments to be made on the bill, hence, the delay in passing it.
The forum was funded by USAID Accountable Democratic Institutions Systems Strengthening (ADISS). Comprising the consortium were Send Ghana, Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) and Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC). The RTI bill was first laid in Parliament on 5th February, 2010.
By Fuseini Dawuda Neindow
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