A research fellow at the Institute for Development Studies at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Mr Kwadwo Addo Tuffuor, on Thursday urged parliament to expedite action on the passage of the Right to Information Bill.
He said the law when passed would promote grassroots participation in decision making to further enhance Ghana's democratic governance.
He said the public needed information to enable them participate in the affairs of governance and monitor government to promote transparency and accountability.
Mr Tuffuor made the call at a press conference on the theme: "Right to Information Law Now". It was organised by the Central Regional chapter of the Coalition on the Right to information, Ghana, in Cape Coast. He noted that politicians tend to use their discretion to conceal information from the public and cautioned that if care was not taken the purpose of the law would be defeated when passed.
Mr Ebenezer Aggrey, Assistant Coordinator of the Coalition, noted that there were too
many exemptions in the bill, which might tend to curtail access to some relevant information
and suggested a critical look at them by parliament.
Mr Aggrey also stressed the need for the setting up of an Independent Information Commission to see to the implementation of the bill when passed. He said leaving that function to the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice could result in a conflict of interest and affect citizen protection in exercising their fundamental rights to information.
He further suggested that the number of days within, which one could access information should be reduced from 56 to 30 days, as currently stipulated in the bill.
Mrs Baaba Fletcher, Coordinator of the Coalition, said the public must be the driving force behind the passage of the bill. He promised that the Coalition would carry out a comprehensive educational programme when it was passed.