Caption:
An informed society: A unifying force for development
The concept
human development is based on the expansion of human capabilities which is
fundamental to the enrichment of quality of lives through the production of
life sustaining necessities and enhances social choices. Human development is
therefore possible with enhance capabilities such as the freedom and the
ability to choose how they want to live. This choice can only be exercise
through participation in governance, a process through which stakeholders’
influence and share control over development initiatives and resources that
affect them. The ability to choose means that citizens need to be capacitated
through information so as to make informed choices and subsequently
qualitatively participate in the process of development. However, despite the centrality of the
phenomena of development in the Ghanaian structure of government, the inability
of majority of the citizens to participate not only in the process of
development but also in sharing the benefits of development
initiatives/programs are rampant and exhibited through high levels of ignorance
and poverty in the country.
Though in
Ghana, every citizen has the right/access to information which is guaranteed by
Article 21(1) (f) of the 1992 Ghana Constitution, more often than not majority
of the citizens who are beneficiaries of development policies/intervention
programs are left in the dark with no information on the allocation,
distribution and utilization of resources for implementing such policies/programs.
This is particularly the case at the regional and district levels where
majority of Ghanaians are located. But how can the country progress if majority
of the people on whose behalf development programs are initiated do not access
such programs due to lack of information?
(The issue
of one’s right of access to information cannot be glossed over considering the
benefits that comes along with it. The nation’s constitution guarantees certain
rights and responsibilities, therefore it is vital that a law be put in place
to streamline which information is available, how it can be accessed and from
whom and where. This notwithstanding permeates every individual to seek,
receive and impart information and ideas of all kind. It is gratifying to note
that though certain provisions in the constitution pave way for citizen’s right
of access to information, there are still bottlenecks militating against such
opportunities, thus restricting one’s right to demand accountability from
individuals, agencies as well as duty bearers among other personalities
occupying high places in government and institutions. This issue brings to the
fore the need for the passage of the Right to Information Bill, a bill
currently awaiting parliamentary approval. The RTI bill 2009 among other
interventions seeks to provide for the implementation of the right to
information as enshrined under article 21(1) of the 1993 constitution of the
country. Questions on the lips of people relate to the reason accounting for
the delay in the passage of the bill though certain provisions and exemptions
are given the consideration. It is an open secret that the bill when given
parliamentary approval will help corruption at high places and subsequently
assist in reducing speculations, anxieties and falsehoods that often arise out
of secrecy. It will respect the individual’s right to access information of all
sorts, not to mention governance of their affairs especially in the area of
food, shelter, portable water, basic health care, education and equitable
distribution of the available resources.
Undeniably the bill will ensure effective
regulation in the accessibility of information particularly that which is held
by government in all types of retrieval systems. In a nutshell, the bill when passed into law will also empower ordinary
citizens to seek relevant information from public officials and contribute
meaningfully to national development.
Despite the gains some public officials have regrettably
kicked against the passage of the bill into law because of the level of
corruption in the public sector though advocates for the passage of the bill
are of the view that since transparency and accountability are key principles
of good governance, the Better Ghana agenda will be enhanced if the bill is passed. He
said efforts by successive governments to promote decentralisation and to bring
governance to the doorsteps of the people have not been achieved because the
local people cannot access information. This
indeed calls for collaborative effort by all
well meaning Ghanaians including Chiefs, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and
religious bodies to ensure the successful passage of the bill. The media which
is the fourth estate of the realm also has a critical role to play by joining
the campaign for the rapid passage of the bill)
Sharing/proactive
disclosure of information, for instance about new techniques of farming, health
care facilities, hazards of environmental degradation, opportunities for
learning and earning, legal remedies for combating gender biases etc is
significant contributions to the well being of people. Therefore the campaign
for the right to information law is not just a political phenomenon, but
touches on the core the national development agenda which is to improve the
standard of living of citizens by eradicating poverty. RTI law seeks to set up
the framework that will facilitate the process of free flow of information
which enhances development due to its ability to promote transparency,
accountability and inhibit corruption.
The current
Ghana’s right to information Bill drafted in 2002 is not sufficient to
facilitate participatory development. The reason is that, it contains clauses
that does not make it user friendly and meet international best practises. For
instance, under the current Bill, it can take an applicant one hundred and
fifty (150) days which is close to half a year to receive information
requested. There is therefore an urgent need to comparatively review the
current Bill with the aim of meeting international best practises to achieve a
law that will go beyond merely giving the citizens the right to access public
information but also obligating both the government and private sector players
to proactively release most information which are necessary for the public to
actively participate in governance as well as make informed choices in their
daily endeavours.
It is also
important that as efforts are being made to pass an effective RTI Bill into law
in the country, attention should also be directed to putting in place pragmatic
measures to block all holes that make accessing information very difficult at
all levels. To that end, proper record keeping systems and mechanisms should be
strengthened nationwide.
GBC END EA/IA
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