By Love Wilhelmina Abanonave
Senior Manager at the Enforcement, Investigation and Compliance Department of the Right to Information (RTI) Commission, Vincent Appau Bediako, has explained that applicants seeking information under the RTI Act are not required to state why they want the information.
He said applicants only need to provide a reason when requesting information on an urgent basis.
“If the information you are requesting is urgent, you will need to indicate to the institution the urgency involved. The law has made provisions that it should be given to you within 48 hours, but you need to give a reason for the urgency, not the reason for the request,” he explained.
Mr Bediako made the remarks during an interview on the GTV Breakfast Show on Tuesday, September 1, 2026.
He said requiring applicants to justify why they need information could create room for manipulation or undermine their right to access information.
According to him, the RTI Commission has the authority to impose administrative penalties on public institutions and relevant private bodies that fail to comply with their obligations under the law.
Information belongs to the state
Mr Bediako said the RTI law has also contributed to a change in the attitude of some public servants who previously withheld information from members of the public.
“At first people were struggling to get information, but now it is not the case because of the law. Public servants should not hold information because it is not for you. It’s for the government. If you know you are doing the right thing, you will not hesitate to release information,” he stated.
He urged members of the public to use the appropriate channels provided under the RTI law when seeking information and to report to the Commission if their requests are improperly denied.
The Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989), provides for the implementation of the constitutional right to information held by public institutions and certain private bodies, subject to exemptions provided under the law.
The legislation is intended to promote transparency and accountability in governance by enabling citizens to access information on matters of public interest.
Mr Bediako said although many people initially faced difficulties obtaining information from public institutions, the situation had improved significantly since the law came into force.
He encouraged the public to make use of the RTI framework to exercise their right to access information and hold public institutions accountable.
