Ghana To Mark Right To Know Day

Ghana, under the banner of the Coalition on Right to Information (RTI), is to mark international Right to Know Day slated for September 28, 2013. The day is to highlight the right of individuals to access information held by public bodies and marks the benefits of transparent and an accessible government. The goal of the Right to Know Day is to raise global awareness of individuals� right to access government information as a fundamental right, RTI Coalition stated in a statement to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra on Tuesday. The statement, signed by Ms Mina Mensah, Regional Co-ordinator of Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, and member of the RTI Coalition, said the Right to Know Day had grown since 2002 and was celebrated around the world in over 40 nations. She said over 80 countries had developed information legislations and more countries were in the process of developing such laws. According to the Coalition, access to information provided individuals with knowledge to address public issues, scrutinise government, and become active participants in the democratic process. Access to information has revealed and clarified the basis for government decisions, disclosed environmental and health dangers and shed light on error, mismanagement and illegal activities, it said. Access to information required improved records management, prompted routine disclosure to information, promoted the duty to assist the public and resulted in better government service and efficiencies. In Ghana, a week-long of activities have been lined up including the engagement with professional bodies on Right to Information to intensify efforts for the passage of the Bill. In collaboration with various media houses, the RTI Coalition would organise Radio/TV discussions on the status of the Right to Information Bill. The RTI Coalition invited Ghanaians to mark the Day with an open house activity and test the potency of access to information at government offices, the libraries, hospitals and public schools among other locations.