Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has disclosed that over 1000 Right to Information (RTI) requests have been made since the passage of the RTI Act in 2019.
He made this known during a press briefing in Accra on Wednesday, May 10, 2023. According to Mr. Oppong Nkrumah, there has been a significant increase in the number of requests for access to information over the past three years since the implementation of the RTI Act.
Out of the over 1000 request, 838 have been granted, 47 have been rejected with 45 of them transferred.
This the Minister explained that despite the increase in number of request over the years, rejected requests have remained low, which he attributed to the technical support provided by the Access to Information Division (ATID) to public institutions.
"ATID provides the technical support to public institutions to enable them to fulfill their obligations in granting access to information. When institutions take advantage of this, they avoid any compliant issues," he said.
Mr. Oppong Nkrumah also disclosed that the RTI Commission (RTIC) has been granted prosecutorial powers by the Attorney General's office to prosecute offenders under the Act. He further encouraged citizens to make use of the RTI Act, as it will further strengthen democracy in the country.
"The effective usage of the RTI Act will further strengthen our democracy, so we encourage all to play their part," he stated.
The Minister also revealed that his Ministry is working to improve the RTI application process by moving it online. This move, he explained, will not only digitize the process of RTI application and processing but will also transform records management across public institutions in the country and serve as a central resource center for RTI.
