Parliamentary historian and Editor in Chief of the New Crusading Guide, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako has expressed disgust over the inability of all Parliament under the 4th republic to pass the Right to information bill into law.
According to the veteran journalist, the media in Ghana cannot be sidelined and denied access to information at a time when the country is in dire need of accountability from public office holders.
Speaking at the 13th Kronti ne Akwamu lecture organized by the Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) on the topic “The search for Accountable Governance in the 4th Republicâ€, Kweku Baako stated that Parliament as an arm of government is preventing accountable governance in Ghana by “deliberately†refusing to get the law that will allow Journalists and citizens access to information held by State agencies on demand.
He continued that the dubious calculated behaviour exhibited by the then minority in 6th parliament of the 4th republic, currently the majority are to be blamed for the failure to get the bill accented into law when the opportunity came, just before the dissolution of the erstwhile parliament.
Meanwhile the Minister of Information, Mustapha Hamid has given the strongest assurance yet that the Right to Information (RTI) bill will be passed into law within this year.
The Bill, proposed over fifteen years ago, will give citizens access to information held by state agencies on demand.
In spite of many promises by the successive government, the bill has yet to see the light of day. It was stalled at the consideration stage of the last parliament and attempts by the then NDC majority to pass it days before the expiration of parliament’s tenure were vehemently resisted by the then NPP minority.
Mr Hamid during his ministerial vetting in January said he was committed to ensuring that the RTI bill is passed into law as soon as practicable.
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