The Acting Director of the Information Services Department, Dr Winnifred Nafisa Mahama, has assured officers of the Right to Information unit across all districts that desktop computers and routers will be distributed to them before the end of December.
She made this known on Wednesday at an RTI forum held at the Information Services Department on the theme, “RTI Frontliners: The Good and the Bad.”
The meeting was organised to reflect on the department’s shared experiences implementing the RTI Act across various public institutions.
The Director empathised with officers who have been submitting their reports using their phones and tablets, acknowledging their struggles and assuring them that better conditions are underway.
“And for all those in the districts who have been sending their reports using their personal tablets and phones, that is coming to an end now. By the close of this week, all the districts will have their desktop computers and internet routers,” she said.
Dr Mahama lauded officers across the districts, emphasising that their collective effort has brought the division to its current standard.
“RTI officers have become the unseen engine powering transparency, processing requests, educating the public, coordinating with various units, and ensuring that the constitutional right to information becomes a reality,” she said.
She stated that most of the officers are doing well with limited resources; hence the department promises their continued support.
The director encouraged officers to speak openly, learn from one another, and propose solutions rooted in the realities of their work, so that their problems could be resolved.
She also acknowledged the importance of the role of officers to the department and the country at large commending them for their continued sacrifice.
“To every officer your contributions to nation building are invaluable. The public may not always see the sacrifice, the follow-ups and the behind-the-scenes coordination, but we see them all, and we honour them,” she said.
Dr Mahama urged RTI officers to establish and reinforce information integrity by fact-checking information before disseminating it to the public.
“In this world of increasing information disorders, there is a need to establish and reinforce information integrity, and the best way to do that is always having and giving out fact-checked information and helping the general public have access to the right information,” she said.
She concluded by reaffirming ISD’s commitment to ensuring that RTI implementation is strengthened, officers are supported, and transparency continues to thrive as a cornerstone of Ghana’s governance architecture.
Deborah Narkie Nartey, ISD
