News:
Hon Kojo Oppong Nkrumah
March 16, 2022
Minister for Information Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has told Parliament, as at the end of January 2022, two hundred and twenty-three (223) individuals and institutions have used the Right to Information Act to request for information from various public institutions.
According to him in 2019 the House passed the RTI Act, Act 989 and the President Nana Akufo-Addo assented to in 2019 when it was passed and brought to his attention and full implementation of the Act started in 2020.
He told the House on Tuesday, March 15, 2022 that June 30, 2022 he presented the maiden report before the House and gave the break down as follows.
In the year 2020, 85 requested for information and was made by individuals and institutions, and received by 32 public institutions. Out of the 85 applications, 34 were submitted by individuals, 36 by institutions and for the outstanding, 15 were making efforts to get clarity from Ministries, Departments and Agencies that received them whether or not they were submitted by individuals or by institutions.
“Mr. Speaker in 2021 despite that we yet to present the annual report for the year in accordance with the Act, I briefed members on the interim figures they have received. These are provisional figures and the final figures would be presented to the House by June 2022 in accordance with the Act”.
A total of one hundred and twenty nine (129) requests for information were submitted by individuals and institutions and received by 47 public institutions. Out of the 129 applications received 87 were received from individuals and 42 from institutions.
In the Year 2022 so far 10 requests for information has been received by individual and institutions and received by seven public institutions as at the end of January 2022. Out of that five were from individuals and five from institutions.
He further pointed out that the House is yet to approve the fees and charges that would put out the applicable fees and for that reason an overwhelming request that was granted was granted on grates basis. For those who were ask to pay some amount, it ranged from one to two cedis per page for the production of the information.
“In some instances where high figures were suggested by the institutions, the applicants apply to the RTI commission and they gave directives for the appropriate figures to be collected and we are before the House for the current fees and charges to be approved which would include the charges of RTI”.
This was when Member of Parliament for Dormaa East, Paul Apreku Twum-Barimah wanted to know how many individuals and institutions have made use of the RTI Act to request for information from the various public institution.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com