In an effort to contribute to public sensitisation and access to information under the Right to Information Act (989), the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has outdoored a guide book.
It is titled “Essentials of the RTI law” and has five-chapters which contains practically everything in the RTI Act, 2019 (Act 989) and presents an easy understanding of the law and its operations.
The book is a tool kit intended to help journalists, citizens and information holders to understand the Act and how it operates.
Prior to the launch, there was a forum on “RTI law, Investigative Journalism and the Fight Against Corruption in Ghana”, where stakeholders discussed challenges and the way forward in the use of the law to access information.
The discussions saw Retired High Court Judge and Chairman of the RTI Commission, Justice K.A. Ofori-Atta, the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Mr Yaw Sarpong Boateng, anti-corruption activist from the Ghana Integrity Initiative, Linda Ofori-Kwafo, Lawyer and Media Practitioner, Samson Lardi Anyenini, Investigative Journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni and Programme Officer of MFWA, Adizatu Moro Maiga, all sharing their thoughts on the issue.
Launching the book, Justice Ofori-Atta described it as a “gold mine” and every newsroom and Ghanaian should have a copy.
He explained that fighting corruption is not an easy task and if there is finally a law that can help Ghanaians to fight it, then all should embrace it.
He said that they are not oblivious of the hiccups and challenges that the application of the law poses but the Commission is there to help.
He also advised people not to be in a hurry to run to the court at the least impediment they will face, but rather engage the commission to mediate for you.
Madam Linda Ofori-Kwafo on her part indicated that she wasn’t surprise that the law has received low patronage from even the media fraternity because most of the laws that gets implemented in the country have ended up that way.
However, if we want to fight corruption, then people should understand that the law itself does not fight corruption, it is the citizens who must activate it, Mrs Kwafo said.
She said that if there is any better time to test the RTI law and fight corruption then now is the time because there are a lot of issues to be dealt with, including an account on how Covid-19 monies were spent.
Investigative Journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni, who has tested the RTI law, recounted some of the difficulties he has encountered so far.
But just like the other speakers, Mr Azure beckoned on his colleague journalists to look beyond the challenges and use the law to access information for the good of the country.
He also called on the Commission to be patriotic by serving the interest of journalists and other Ghanaians who would want to use the law to access information.
General News
MFWA births guide book on RTI
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