Parliament cannot pass the RTI Bill in 4 sitting days - MP

Inusah Fuseini, ranking member of the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee in Parliament has stated that Parliament cannot pass the much awaited RTI Bill before the house rises because of the procedure the bill would have to pass through.

According to him, even if the RTI Bill is brought to Parliament under a Certificate if Urgency it cannot be worked on in 4 sitting days before Parliament rises on March 23, 2018.

“Even if the Bill is laid under a Certificate of Urgency, there's no way it can be approved before Parliament goes on recess in 4 sitting days”

The comment from the Tamale Central Lawmaker Inusah Fuseini is anchored on the ten-day ultimatum given by the RTI Action Campaign Group for the RTI Bill to be passed before Parliament goes on recess.

Speaking in an interview on Citi FM, Inusah Fuseini said no Bill has been referred to his committee and that in tandem with the Parliamentary Standing Orders, the house will go on recess Friday, March 23, 2018 and resume on May 2018, hence if the bill would have to be worked on and Pass unless May 2018.

In a related development, First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei Owusu has said no pressure group can threaten Parliament to pass the RTI Bill into law.

Speaking in an interview with Radio Ghana on the First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei Owusu stated that Parliament works through procedures and would expedite action on the Bill if it is brought back to the House.

He added that a lot of work has already been done on the Bill, this means there will be very little work to be done if the same thing is presented.

Meanwhile, the Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia on Monday, March 19, 2018, speaking at a Norway-Ghana Business and Investment Forum in Accra revealed that the Right to Information, RTI Bill has been approved by Cabinet and thus will soon be sent to Parliament for debate and approval.

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“Cabinet has given approval for the Right to Information Bill to be laid in Parliament for debate and approval because it is very critical that we pass the Right to Information Bill. It is our hope that this will be an additional feather in our cup in the fight against corruption,” he said.

Background on RTI bill

It has been 19 years since the first Right to Information, RTI Bill was drafted under the auspices of the Institute of Economic Affairs, IEA in 1999.

The RTI Bill, which is expected to make information easily accessible by the media and Ghanaians to boost the fight against corruption, has been in legislation for several years now because successive governments have failed to implement it despite several assurances.

The Executive RTI Bill was subsequently reviewed in 2003, 2005 and 2007 but was never laid before Parliament until February 5, 2010.

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