Pass Right to Information Bill without delay – Coalition

The Central Regional Right to Information (RTI) Bill Coalition has called for passage of the Bill before the end of the fifth Parliament.

In a statement to the Ghana News Agency at Gomoa Afranse, Mrs Baaba Brew Fleischer, Central Regional Coordinator of the Coalition, said the Bill that was laid before Parliament on February 5, 2010 was long overdue for passage.

The statement said the first draft of the Bill was prepared by the government in 2003 to give effect to the constitutionally guaranteed fundamental right to information and had gone through about eight reviews following some consultations with civil society organizations.

Mrs Fleischer reminded Parliament of its assurance to the Coalition to include the Bill in the Order Paper of the fifth session of the Fifth Parliament that takes off from the second week of May.

The statement called on the Joint Committee on Communication and Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to come out with their reports on their regional consultations.

Mrs Fleischer appealed to the leadership of the House to ensure that, the Bill appeared in their next session programme, for people to keep track of how it was being treated.

She said the passage of the Bill would make secretaries and all those in charge of information at the ministries, departments and agencies sit up and prepare up-to-date information, which could be easily accessible.**