Simli Radio to educate citizens on rights

The Africa office of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) has partnered with Simli Radio to educate communities on human rights issues as well as empower them to challenge their Members of Parliament (MPs) to pass the Right to Information (RTI) Bill into law.

The partnership would see Simli Radio, a community radio station based at Dalun in the Kumbungu District, to organize community forums and visit market centers and other social gatherings including using radio to educate residents on the RTI and other constitutional rights.

The project, which targets communities at Savelugu/Nanton Municipality, Tolon and Kumbungu districts, also aims at empowering residents to demand information and accountability from duty bearers including assembly members.

Mad Mina Mensah, the Regional Coordinator of the Africa Office of CHRI, who spoke about the project at a debriefing forum at Dalun on Monday for some of the staff of Simli Radiowho had been trained on basic human rights issues and the RTI, said there was the need for public disclosure of information for development.

Madam Mensah said ensuring access to information by citizens would enable them to demand accountability from duty bearers, which was an important component of democratic governance.

She said access to information by citizens would also ensure an informed society and urged the citizenry to demand accountability and information from duty bearers.

“We must not be apathetic when the information is not given but rather press on to seek the information,” mad Mensah said.

She said the posture of some MPs towards passing the RTI Bill into law was regrettable and called on authorities to show more commitment to passing the bill.

The RTI Bill has been under consideration by Parliament for several years now and its advocates say if it is passed in its current state, it will rather worsen access to information by the citizenry.

Mr Abukari Abdul Razak, Producer at Simli Radio, said the training received by some staff of Simli Radio on basic human rights and RTI would be brought to bear on the project to ensure success.

Chief of Moglaa, Iddrisu Andani, who chaired the forum, urged government to ensure that the bill was passed in a workable manner that would benefit all.