Right to Information Bill introduced in Parliament

Page 13, Feb 6, 2010
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
AFTER years of public discussions and lobbying by civil society organisations, the Right to Information Bill was finally laid before Parliament yesterday.
The Deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Ebo Barton-Odro, laid the bill on behalf of the substantive minister, Mrs Betty Mould-Iddrisu.
The passage of the bill was one of the campaign promises of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The Speaker of Parliament, Mrs Joyce Bamford-Addo, referred the bill to the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs committee of the House after it had gone through its first reading stage.
The right to information is a fundamental human right guaranteed by the Constitution and it is recognised as a right by international conventions on human rights.
Article 21 (1) (f) of the 1992 Constitution provides that all persons have the right to information subject to such qualifications and laws as are necessary in a democratic society.
According to the memorandum covering the 30 page bill, the purpose of the bill is, therefore to give substance to that constitutional provision by providing for (a) access to official information held by government agencies and (b) the qualifications and conditions under which the access should be obtained.
The bill has 66 clauses explaining how information could be obtained, as well as exemptions.
It is expected to be scrutinised by the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee during which some amendments would be proposed before it is sent back to the House for the remaining processes of its passage.