Ghana to celebrate International Right to Know Day

on
September 28

Accra, Sept.
22, GNA – Ghana is to celebrate International Right to Know Day slated for
September 28 with a nation-wide public awareness crusade on individual's right
of access to government-held information.
The public
awareness crusade seeks to highlight transparency and accountability as keys to
good governance and the need to allow the people access to government-held
information as enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights.
"Everyone
has the right to freedom of opinion and expression which includes freedom to
hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information
and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers," a statement issued
by the Coalition on Right to Information (RTI), to Ghana News Agency in Accra
on Wednesday stated.
The
celebration is to raise awareness of every individual's right of access to
government-held information: the right to know how elected officials are
exercising power and how the tax-payers' money is being spent.
It is on the
theme “Information is a way to development. Your Right to Know”.
In view of the
national observance, RTI Coalition appealed to labour unions, traditional
rulers, political parties, religious bodies, civil society and non-governmental
bodies to mark the day with localised activities.
In addition it
appealed to the media, Ghana Journalists Association and National Media
Commission considered as key stakeholders in information dissemination to
create a platform for the citizenry to engage their leaders in healthy debate
on basic issues of life.
“We also call
on the Government to demonstrate its commitment to tenets of transparency and
accountability to publish reports about the current state of access to
information in Ghana,” the statement stated.
September 28,
is celebrated throughout the world as the International Right to Information
Day. This day is celebrated by Right to Information activists to symbolise the
global movement for promotion of the right to information.
The day is
marked by Civil Society groups to engage in national media campaigns to raise
awareness of the right; advocate for adoption of an access to information law
in countries which did not have.
It is also
used to help in dissemination of information about how to use access to
information laws in countries where they exist; organise seminars for local
civil society groups on how to access government held information (whether or
not a law exists in a particular country).
The Day was
first celebrated on September 28, 2003, and 2011 will be the Ninth
International Right to Know Day.