On Monday, July 10, 2023, a sensitization workshop on the Right to Information was held at the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) Ashanti Regional Office.
The exercise, which was both virtual and in-person, was done for staff of the institution. They were taken through the provisions of the RTI Act, stressing of the relevance of the act, timelines for accessing information and exemptions under the law, and procedures to follow to release information to the public among others.
The RTI Officer of the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council, Mr. Samuel Agyemang Duah who led a team of 3 RTI Officers gave the general overview of Act, its relevance and the responsibilities of public institutions under Act 989, among others.
Mr. Kwaku Agyei Owusu and Mr. Emmanuel Asare, RTI Officers for Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly and Oforikrom Assembly respectively took the staff of the institution through what they need to know as managers and information holders as far as the right to information law is concerned and also information which are exempt from disclosure.
Mr. Owusu explained that the process of requesting for information entailed the filling of a standard application form and submitting it to the information unit or registry of the public institution.
Mr. Ashraf Haruna, a staff of the institution asked what an applicant should do when information requested has not been granted after the 14 days.
Mr. Owusu indicated that with the implementation of the Right to Information Act, access to information is guaranteed and that applicants who felt that they had been wrongly denied access to information have the right to first seek internal review and if not satisfied with the decision can appeal to the RTI Commission which is an external body mandated to promote, protect and enforce the RTI.
Addressing a question asked by the Regional Public Information Officer, Mr. Daniel Geraldo, as to why shouldn’t the officer of whose office information is being sought to ask the reason why an applicant needs such information, the Oforikrom RTI Officer, Mr. Asare, responded that it is within the interpretation of the Act for an applicant not to tell the reason for requesting for information unless the information being sought is urgent, then the applicant must state the reason for the urgency.
“It is our right to enjoy. And no one needs to convince someone to enjoy that right.†He said.
He further explained information that are exempted from disclosure. However, he stated that they are not absolute, that is, information classified as exempt information can be released where the benefits of disclosing the information outweighs the dangers of not disclosing it.
Mr. John Laryea Odai-Tettey, the Regional Head of the Food and Drugs Authority commended the Officers for such an education and pledged their commitment to work within the remit of the Act 989.
