Hold authority to account on assurances and promises– Journalists told

The Vice Chair of the Coalition on the Right to Information bill, (RTI), has charged Ghanaian journalists to hold authorities to account on their public utterances.

Mina Mensah says politicians over the years have paid lip service and made unfulfilled commitments to issues such as the passage of the Right to Information Bill into law, because they know the media and for that matter journalists would not hold them to account.

Minister for Information, Mustapha Hamid has joined the political chorus to assure that the bill shall be passed by the end of 2017. Speaking at a public lecture organized by Ghana Journalist Association to mark this year’s world Press Freedom Day, the Minister promised the bill would be laid before parliament in the May to July session of the house.

In an interview with Primenewsghana.com at the event, Mina Mensa urged the media to embrace the promises of the Minister and asked that Mustapha Hamid is held accountable for the assurances on the passage of the RTI.

 “If we don’t see the passage of the bill into law as promised the media must blow it up and demand accountability, because until we demand accountability for the things our leaders say they will come and say anything and go scot-free”

She observed parliament itself, stands to benefit from the passage of the law because MPs and individuals would be able to demand information from state agencies which may positively inform other bills being considered, enabling the legislature to more effectively play their oversight role.

The Right to Information, is an internationally recognized fundamental human right to access information held by government bodies.