783 RTI Requests Made In 2022- Oppong Nkrumah

The Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has announced that 783 Right to Information (RTI) requests were made in the previous year.

This is an increase from 247 requests made in 2021.

A total of 1,053 requests have therefore been made to institutions in the country since 2020 when the RTI became operational.

In 2020 out of 23 requests, 16 were granted. 159 and 663 were granted in 2021 and 2022 respectively.

Addressing the press on May 10, Hon Oppong Nkrumah said the RTI Commission has received 111 reviewed applications over the past two years out of which 26 have been determined; four were discontinued at the instance of the applicants whereas two are under judicial review.

Imposition On Fines
Out of the 26 determinations of the Commission, he said, penalties amounting to $1,310,000 have been imposed.

These fines were imposed on 14 institutions, he said.

“The primary reason for the penalties was a refusal by the institution to comply with the Commission’s orders to grant applicants access to information that was requested,” he explained.

Measures
As part of measures to improve the RTI, Hon Nkrumah said, the Access to Information Division (ADI) is working to develop a data mapping tool that helps information officers map information to various sources within their institutions.

It is also carrying out public sensitisation and working to operationalise an Online Record Management System (ORMS).

It has also drafted a Legislative Instruction (LI) for the RTI ACT ready to be laid before Parliament.