The Right to Information (RTI) Commission says it is hopeful that the Commission will resubmit its revised Legislative Instrument (L.I.) to Parliament by the end of 2026.
The L.I. is meant to reinforce and resolve implementation gaps within the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989) to strengthen the Commission’s regulatory framework.
Stephen Owusu, General Manager of the Legal Department of the RTI Commission, said the regulations had already gone through the required consultations and processes before being stalled in Parliament towards the end of 2024.
He said the Commission had engaged stakeholders and met with Parliament’s Committee on Subsidiary Legislation before the process was suspended.
“But for the hold-up in Parliament towards the end of 2024, the L.I. should have passed because by that time, we had gone through all the processes, done all the consultations, met with the Parliamentary Committee on Subsidiary Legislations,” he said.
Speaking on 3FM’s Sunrise on Tuesday, September 22, he said the Commission now has to restart parts of the process following the introduction of a new Board, although the stakeholder consultation phase would not have to be repeated.
“Now, we have to start the process again but not the process of consultation, we have done all that. There has been a transition, we have a new Board now, it was only fair that the Board was given some time,” he said.
He explained that the Commission was currently incorporating concerns raised by the new Board and was optimistic that the revised L.I. would be sent back to Parliament through the Attorney-General before the end of the year.
“As I speak, we are incorporating the concerns that the new Board have also raised and we are hoping that by close of this year, if for nothing at all, we will get it back to Parliament through the A-G,” he said.
“And the positive thing is that, the current A-G was the Chairman of the Committee so he knows everything about the regulations for the L.I. and very much abreast with it,” he added.
On whether the proposed L.I. would give the Commission stronger enforcement powers, Mr Owusu said provisions had been included to enhance the Commission’s authority.
“Regarding giving more biting force to the Commission through the L.I., I think there are provisions given in there to do that,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Commission has announced the commencement of Right to Information Month 2026, with a series of activities scheduled throughout September to promote public awareness of the right of access to information.
The annual commemoration is aimed at promoting the effective implementation of the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989) and deepening public understanding of citizens’ rights and responsibilities under the law.
This year’s celebration is on the theme: “Upholding Information Integrity in the Digital Age: The Role of Access to Information in Addressing Information Disorder.”
Activities for the month will include media outreach programmes and radio and television interviews involving Commission officials in Accra, Kumasi, Sunyani and Bolgatanga from September 1 to 28.
The month-long activities will culminate in a Stakeholder Conference on September 24, bringing together representatives of ministries, departments and agencies, metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies, civil society organisations, the media, academia, traditional authorities and development partners.
The conference will focus on developing practical recommendations to address information disorder, promote meaningful public participation in decision-making and explore measures to strengthen information integrity within Ghana’s digital information ecosystem.
