RTI Blll: Coalition Hits Major Streets Of Accra With Protests

A group of young men and women, have hit the streets of Accra distributing some flyers, campaigning for the Right To Information bill to be laid in Parliament.

Their campaign is part of efforts by pressure group, Right to Information Coalition, which has given the cabinet a 10-day ultimatum to lay the RTI bill in Parliament.

Five days after they launched their 10-day ultimatum, the bill still remains in limbo.

Speaking to Joy News’ Maxwell Agbagba Monday, member of Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, Gideon Nii Quaye, says his group has joined the campaign to force laying of the bill in parliament before the House rises this Friday, March 23.

Emphasizing the need for the bill to be passed, Mr. Quaye said although the constitution makes provision for anyone to go to court to demand information, for now, not everyone can do so.

“I can go to the court but not everyone can, my grandmother in the village cannot go to court, many people are afraid of the courts…even some lawyers are afraid to enter courts,” he said.

He further stated that passage of the RTI bill will annul the cry given by new regimes when they take over power that “the situation is worse than we thought”.

“When this bill is passed, any political party can demand the true state of the economy and make campaign promises on that."

The RTI law is expected to help citizens and Civil Society Organizations and the Special Prosecutor to fight corruption.

Programs manager at Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) Mary Adda who has also joined the campaign, has said the president must redeem his promise to have the bill passed into law.

"The president must do all he can to ensure that this bill goes to parliament, the people of Ghana will begin to take him seriously...and all the rhetoric accompanied with speeches on anti-corruption will be taken seriously," she said.

The Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, during his vetting stated that “If we eradicate corruption at our ports alone, Ghana will not depend on any foreign aid.

And scores of people have argued that without the RTI law, the Special Prosecutor will be rendered powerless.

President Nana Akufo-Addo in his Independence Day speech promised that he will facilitate the laying of the bill in parliament before the session rises.

“After many years of hesitation, we intend to bring the Bill again to Parliament and work to get it passed into law before Parliament rises,” the President said.

The Right to Information Coalition has taken it upon themselves to mount pressure on the government to get the bill laid before parliament rises on Friday.

“We understand that parliament rises on March 23…so the minimum for us is for the bill to be laid before parliament rises,” a member of the group, Dr Kojo Asante told Joy News at the beginning of the 10-day campaign launch.

Other members of the group including private legal practitioner and News File host on Joy News Channel, Samson Lardi Anyenini have described the campaign as “claiming our birthrights”.