In an effort to foster transparency and accountability, officers of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) within the Oforikrom Municipal Assembly (OfMA) participated in an informative training on the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2019 (Act 989) today. The training, facilitated by the municipality’s dedicated Right to Information Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Asare, aimed to empower NADMO officers with the essential knowledge to effectively utilize the Act in their disaster management roles and beyond.
Mr. Asare kicked off the session by delving into the historical roots of the RTI Act, recounting its origins from 1999 when the Institute of Economic Affairs first drafted the bill. He underscored a key turning point in 1995, when the Bank of Ghana’s refusal to release economic data sparked widespread calls for greater transparency in public institutions. This incident, along with growing public demands, led to the formulation and eventual passage of the RTI law, designed to ensure that citizens can access critical information from government entities.

The training continued with an in-depth explanation of the RTI Act’s procedures and provisions, enabling officers to understand how they can access vital information for their disaster management duties. Mr. Asare detailed the application process, guiding participants through the necessary steps for making information requests and emphasizing the importance of this legal tool in promoting openness within government operations. He highlighted that the RTI Act is not just a legal right but also an essential mechanism for ensuring that public institutions remain accountable to the people.
A particularly important aspect of the session focused on the cost structure for accessing information. Mr. Asare clarified that while government-produced information is inherently a public resource, there may be a minimal fee for the reproduction of documents. However, he reassured the officers that the RTI Act’s core principle is to make information widely accessible without financial barriers. The training was well-received by the NADMO officers, who expressed appreciation for the clarity provided on how the RTI Act can be a vital tool in their work for community development and disaster management.