The much awaited and talked about Right To Information (RTI) law has been born after President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo assented to the Act at a brief ceremony at the Jubilee House.
The Act passed by Parliament after 20yrs of struggle will allow citizens more access to information in order to hold government accountable.
President Akufo-Addo was hopeful the RTI law will help enhance the quality of governance and a tool to fight corruption.
The RTI law will provide for the operationalisation of the constitutional right to information held by the public and some private institutions.
This is subject to exemptions that are necessary and consistent with the protection of public interest in a democratic society. It also seeks to foster a culture of transparency and accountability in public affairs and to provide for related matters.
The RTI Bill was first drafted in 1999, reviewed in 2003, 2005 and 2007 but was only presented to Parliament in 2010.
It could not however, be passed due to the many recommendations of amendment.
The bill was brought back to the Sixth Parliament but could not be passed till the expiration of that Parliament on January 6, 2016.
Pressure mounted on the current administration following a campaign promise to get the bill passed.
President Akufo-Addo whose term in office as Attorney General ensured the repeal of the criminal libel law promised pass the RTI bill into law when elected.
This promised he delivered on the 26th of March when Parliament voted the bill into law.
He has gone a step further by assenting to the Act which is now law a day after receiving it from Parliament.
President Akufo-Addo said the RTI law will be one of the tools to fight corruption.
Bright Ntramah filed this report.
