Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has disclosed that the Right to Information Commission (RTIC) has been granted prosecutorial power by the Office of the Attorney General to go after individuals and institutions who flout the RTI Act.
Speaking to journalists at a press conference in Accra to provide update on the implementation of the RTI Act thus far, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah stated that the move is aimed at strengthening the Commission's mandate and ensuring that its decisions were properly enforced.
“The RTIC is fully backed by law to sanction individuals and institutions that do not comply. Additionally, it has prosecutorial powers from the AG to prosecute offenders under the Act,” he said.
Mr. Oppong Nkrumah emphasized that the Commission's ability to prosecute offenders was crucial to the effective implementation of the RTI Act, which was passed in 2019.
He also noted that the Commission had been working diligently to ensure that Ghanaians were aware of their rights under the law and had access to the information they needed.
He said since the introduction of the Act, some 478 public institutions in the country have established information units and have been assigned designated RTI officers to facilitate the implementation of the law. Additionally, he said 320 designated RTI officers have been assigned to various public institutions to ensure compliance with the Act.
This, the Minister explained this forms part of a broader strategy to put measures in place that will ensure the effective implementation of RTI Act.
