Access to information is the engine oil of a good government – UN

• Ghana has passed its Right to Information law

• The UN Resident Coordinator in Ghana says information should remain an oil for fueling the engine of democracy

• The RTI law empowers all persons to have access to information from public institutions

The UN Resident Coordinator in Ghana, Charles Abani, has re-emphasized the critical role of information

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He explained that there should be continuous access to information as the engine of democracy in any country.

He said this when he spoke at a public forum on the Right to Information, organized by the Right to Information Commission.

“Access to information is the engine oil of a good government and the lack of answers to information is usually one of the key things that knocks an engine in a car. And so, we should not underestimate the critical importance of information and its access to citizens in building an open, trusting, inclusive democracy which Ghana aspires to be,” he said.

The RTI was passed by parliament and assented to by the president on May 21, 2019, and guarantees the general public access to information from public institutions and relevant private bodies.

Access to information is a right under Article 21 paragraph (f) of clause (1) of the 1992 constitution of Ghana. The RTI law empowers all persons to have access to information from public institutions and relevant private bodies in order to promote a culture of transparency and accountability.