Government called to expedite action on RTI Bill

The Editors Forum, Ghana (EFG) made up of a group of editors, senior Journalists and media educators in affiliation with Ghana Journalists Association has urged government to ensure the speedy passage of the Right to Information Bill before the end of the year.

Editors Forum Ghana holds the views that the free flow of information is an essential component of democracy. It is also vital for good governance, respect for human rights and the rule of law.

The Editors Forum Ghana endorsed the statement at a workshop organized by the Common Wealth Human Rights Initiative an International Non Governmental Organization, in collaboration with the Coalition on the Rights to Information.

The Forum supports the crucial suggestion that to make the law more effective, an independent body should be charged with its implementation.

They therefore urged the government to underpin Ghana's growing democratic credentials by ensuring the passage of the bill after its revision to include the many important suggestions by Civil Society Groups and Campaigners.  

According to Ghana News agency report, a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, and signed by the chairperson of EFG Ajoa Yeboah-Afari reiterated the importance of a Right to Information Law for Ghana especially in the efforts to check corruption as a vital tool for the promotion of the national development agenda. 

The communiqué noted that placing the bill with the Attorney General tends to undermine the potential efficacy of the law and contradicts international principles governing such laws.

The Editors Forum Ghana agrees with the suggestion that the scope of the law should be widened to cover not just government agencies but also private bodies whose activities border on the people's fundamental rights or those that use public resources to undertake public functions on behalf of the government.

They therefore hold the view that since good records management is a necessity for a Right to Information Law, Passage of the Bill is one sure way of propelling the country's institutions to manage their records more efficiently and thus enhance governance.

They believe that the passage of the Bill will benefit not only the media but the whole society hence it is in the interest of all sections to add their voice to the campaign.

The Editor Forum Ghana echoes the view of the communiqué that the government should table the bill before parliament before the year ends and pass a law that will be model not only for Africa, but also the rest of the world.