Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana has reaffirmed the nation’s commitment to make governance more open, accountable, and responsive to the needs of the people.
In a statement read by the Education Minister, Yaw Osei Adutwum, the President highlighted Ghana’s strides in advancing access to information, particularly through the passage of the Right to Information (RTI) Act in 2019.
He reflected on the importance of political will in realizing this fundamental right, emphasizing that a well-informed public is crucial for holding leaders accountable and ensuring meaningful participation in governance.
He made the statement at the global conference of the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) at the Alisa Hotel in Accra today.
The Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information for UNESCO, Tawfik Jelassi has acknowledged Africa’s strides in advancing the right to information. He extolled Ghana for the passage and implementation of the RTI law and indicated that the law is a success story and a model or standout achievement in Africa.
Tawfik Jelassi attributed this achievement to the law’s effectiveness in ensuring citizens’ access to public information and promoting transparency and accountability in governance.
The Minister for Information, Fatimatu Abubakar also emphasized the role of technology in enhancing public access to government data, mentioning initiatives such as the GhanaToday.gov.gh platform and the upcoming Online Records Management System (ORMS), which will digitize the Right to Information application process.
