In a bid to strengthen transparency and promote open governance, staff of the Records Department of the Shai-Osudoku District Assembly (SODA) were taken through a comprehensive sensitization exercise on the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2019 (Act 989) on April 24, 2025. The in-person training aimed at equipping key administrative personnel with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively implement the RTI law and facilitate public access to information in accordance with constitutional provisions.
Leading the session, Ms. Hagan, the district’s RTI Officer, offered an in-depth overview of the Act, which came into effect in January 2020 following its passage by Parliament. She emphasized the law’s grounding in Article 21(f) of the 1992 Constitution, which guarantees every citizen’s right to information. Ms. Hagan underscored the RTI Act’s critical role in fostering transparency, enabling citizens to hold public institutions accountable, and ensuring a participatory approach to governance.
Participants were educated on the legal procedures governing access to information, including timelines and appeal processes. Ms. Hagan explained that a request must be responded to within 14 days, and if denied, the applicant can seek an internal review within 30 days, appeal to the RTI Commission, and subsequently the High Court if unsatisfied. She stressed that applicants are not required to justify their requests, and can submit them through written, oral, or electronic means. However, she noted that exemptions exist, particularly where the information requested involves personal data or matters of national security.
The session concluded with an interactive discussion on how the RTI law could be practically used to demand transparency in areas such as public spending, project implementation, and service delivery. Staff members expressed a greater sense of responsibility and readiness to collaborate with the RTI desk to ensure prompt access to information by the public. The initiative marked a significant step towards enhancing open governance at the district level and reaffirmed the Records Department’s pivotal role in supporting citizen access to information.
