Photos: Professional And Other Bodies Issue Communiqu� On The Right To Information

The process towards the passage of an efficient and effective Right to Information (RTI) legislation in Ghana has been ongoing for over a decade. The Coalition, as part of its advocacy has engaged a wide range of stakeholders in an effort to increase public support for the passage of an effective Bill into law. However, the Coalition�s advocacy over the years has been directed and spearheaded only by Coalition members. Until recently, very few professional bodies and associations have shown interest in citizen�s� right to information and consequently, the call for the passage of the Bill has only been by a few voices. However,various professional /religious and other bodies came together to issue a communiqu� on the right to information on the 12th of November, 2014, at the La-Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra. below is a copy of the communiqu� issued on the Right to Information COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT A WORKSHOP WITH PROFESSIONAL/RELIGIOUS AND OTHER BODIES ON THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION HELD ON 12TH NOVEMBER 2014 AT THE LA-PALM ROYAL BEACH HOTEL, ACCRA, GHANA We, the representatives of various professional bodies and associations meeting at a workshop on the Right to Information, with the theme, �an Effective RTI Legislation, a Necessary Tool for development�, organized by the Coalition on the Right to Information, Ghana do hereby adopt this communiqu� as follows: The citizens� right to information as guaranteed by the 1992 Constitution is a fundamental human right subject not to the inclinations and dictates of any individual or authority but to those limitations that are necessary in a democratic society as prescribed by law; The Ghana Right to Information Bill, 2010 which seeks to provide concrete legal mechanisms and procedures by which all persons can exercise and assert the right to access information in the custody of public institutions and categories of private bodies was resubmitted to Parliament on 12th November 2013. It was subsequently referred to the Select Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs for scrutiny. The Select Committee, after series of consultations with civil society organizations and other stakeholders proposed revisions to the content of the Bill in line with the African Union Model Law and the Options Paper submitted to the Committee by the Coalition. These proposals by the Committee if endorsed by Parliament will be a huge step towards the passage of a strong RTI Bill that will add to Ghana�s credentials of being one of the shining examples of democratic practice in Africa.