Citizens call for the passage of RTI Bill into Law

Participants at a durbar of a case study on the Right To Information (RTI) in Koforidua, have called on members of the Coalition on the RTI, to focus their education on duty bearers, to enable them know their responsibility under the RTI Bill before it becomes Law.

They also called for the education of media personnel, to be responsible in their reportage, to help reduce the possibility of abuse of the law when passed, to invade the privacy of people.

This came to light at a durbar organized by the Eastern Regional Branch of the Coalition of the Right To Information to help demonstrate how the RTI law could be beneficial to ordinary citizens.

The durbar was attended by heads of department, civil society organizations, assembly members, media personnel and ordinary citizens in Koforidua.

The participants also called for the intensification of education on the bill to people outside the regional capitals and those in the rural areas for more and more people in the country to benefit from the bill when passed into law.

Addressing the durbar, Mr Edmund Quaynor, Eastern Regional Coordinator of the Coalition on The Right To Information (RTI), explained that the people could effectively participate in the democratic development of the country, if they had access to information on issues around them.

He said, this would enhance their ability to demand social accountability, check corruption and enhance fast development of the country.

Mr Quaynor said, the result of the study indicate that, every member of the society can benefit from the implementation of the RTI, if people know what to do at any time, and who to approach for solutions to issues affecting the developments of their communities.

He called on the participants to disabuse their minds that, the RTI law is only for the benefit of media personnel and researches.

In the case study which was presented at the durbar, through a letter written by a citizen, complaining about a choked drainage that can cause flooding if not checked, the New Juaben Municipal Assembly was compelled to have the drainage cleared of the blockage.