The Executive Secretary to the Right to Information Commission, Mr Yaw Sarpong Boateng, has warned that the Commission will not hesitate to punish institutions that fail to release information to people who demand for it.
Mr Boateng said the right to information is a basic right guaranteed under the 1992 Constitution.
Mr Boateng, who was speaking at a stakeholder engagement in Bolgatanga on Monday to mobilise support for the effective implementation of the RTI Law, added, however, that RTI comes with certain responsibilities.
He said those who for instance need information from institutions should be prepared to pay the stipulated fees when the quantum of the information they demand requires them to do so.
The Executive Secretary also asserted that no institution is exempted from implementing the RTI Law, however, certain information is excluded: information on the President, the Vice President, the Cabinet, information relating to international relations, and information relating to law enforcement and public safety.
Addressing the media after the forum, Mr Sarpong Boateng condemned the situation where some public office holders refuse to release information in their outfits, which often results in their institutions losing money due to surcharges.
The Board Chairman of the RTI Commission, Justice Rtd. K.A. Ofori-Atta said the RTI Law is designed to effectively ensure transparency and accountability on the part of the government.
Bala Ali & Peter Atogewe Wedam, ISD
