MDAs to review info. management to enhance Bill

Accra, Oct. 17,GNA - Mr Andrew Awuni, Deputy Minister of Information, on Friday urged Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to critically review the management of information on government policies and programmes for easy accessibility.

He said the inadequate capacity to manage information had become a problem in the Civil Service and stressed the need to undertake considerable investment to acquire the requisite equipment for a more efficient and rapid information delivery.

Mr Awuni was speaking at a public forum for the MDAs on the "Right to Information Bill, 2003" as part of the educational campaign before it is passed into law.

The Bill drafted by the Attorney General's Department had been considered by Cabinet and would be forwarded to Parliament for passage. The Right to Information Act, that provides the right of access to information as stipulated in Article 21(1) of the Constitution is meant to sustain the country's democracy by empowering the public to make an informed contribution to governance.

The Deputy Minister said the Right to Information was essential for accountability in governance because secrecy had been a breeding ground for corruption, abuse of power and mismanagement.

"It ensures transparency, probity and accountability in the dealings of public officers by providing verifiable information to the public to enable them to reach informed judgement on matters of public concern" he said.

Mr Awuni said Government was working relentlessly to create a new culture that would ensure transparent governance where civil society organisations, women and the youth could actively participate. He urged the MDAs to be mindful of their activities to protect classified information in their institutions.

Mr Henry Tackie from the Attorney General's Department said in spite of the Right to Information, some information were exempted or protected under the Act, these were information from the Office of the President and Vice-President.

Others were information relating to Cabinet, law enforcement, public safety, national security, economic interests and international relations.

He said a person, who wilfully disclosed such exempted information without authority, committed an offence and was liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term of not less than 12 months.

Mr Tackie said the Bill encompassed the filing of applications, treatment to applicants, responsibilities of those at the helm of affairs and the steps an applicant could take when denied information. He said fees would be charged based on the information involved adding that the MDAs had a maximum of 30 days to notify the applicant on their decision.

Dr Bonna Koomson, Lecturer at the School of Communication Studies, University of Ghana, Legon, who gave an overview of the draft, said efforts towards the Bill began in 1999 and was aimed at compelling Government, public and private institutions to do the right thing. He, however, noted that the inclusion of private institutions in the Bill would lead to making in-roads into their privacy and should be reviewed.

Mr Cletus Azangweo, Director of Public Records and Archives Administration Department (PRAAD), said Record Keeping Offices must be adequately resourced and protected to enable them to play their role effectively when the Bill was passed into law.