The Right to Information Commission (RTIC) is ramping up enforcement of Ghana’s transparency law, training Information Services Department (ISD) staff across the Upper East Region to demystify public access protocols.
At a Bolgatanga workshop, RTIC officials drilled 15 municipal and district PROs on handling information requests, annual reporting duties, and navigating exemptions under the 2019 RTI Act.
Regional Manager Richard Antwi Boasiako underscored legal obligations: “All institutions must report requests granted, denied, and reasons yearly—non-compliance risks penalties.” With some districts lacking designated PROs, the RTIC now partners with ISD officers to fill the gap. “Where no PRO exists, ISD staff step in,” Boasiako confirmed, hailing the department as a critical ally.
Assistant Regional Manager Joshua Effah Osei praised ISD’s adaptability but tempered expectations: “Not all information is accessible. Classified data stays protected—we urge public understanding when requests are declined.”
Attendees learned procedures for filing requests and identifying exempt categories, from national security to private deliberations.
ISD Regional Director Yussif Bennin Duori pledged deeper collaboration, calling for expanded workshops. “Our staff will champion this law,” he vowed. For citizens, the takeaway is clearer: transparency has gatekeepers, but persistence pays.
Article 21(1)(f) of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution guarantees the right to information. Yet without trained implementers, laws gather dust. This training aims to change that—one request at a time.