By Felix Cofie
The Ministry of Transport has responded to claims made on social media by Sulemana Braimah, Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa, regarding a Right to Information (RTI) request submitted by The Fourth Estate.
In a recent post, Mr. Braimah alleged that the Ministry was refusing to release a contract related to a disinfection exercise at airports and aviation facilities, under which a company was reportedly paid an amount equivalent to GHC340,000 per day in 2022. “We made RTI requests to the Transport Ministry for a copy of the contract… The Ministry says it won’t release it. We won’t give up!” he wrote.
However, in an official statement issued by the Ministry, it clarified that it is not refusing to provide the requested information but is adhering strictly to the provisions of the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989). The Ministry confirmed that on May 28, 2025, The Fourth Estate submitted a formal RTI request seeking a copy of the contract between the Ministry and Zoomlion Ghana Limited, which formed the basis for the 2022 payments.
“The Ministry responded appropriately, taking cognizance of the RTI Act, 2019 (Act 989),” the statement said. “It is important to clarify that access to the requested information has not been denied. The Ministry is simply following the due process outlined in the RTI law.”
The Ministry emphasized that the RTI process involves multiple stages and encourages The Fourth Estate to exhaust all available legal channels to obtain the information. It further assured the public of its commitment to transparency, accountability, and good governance.
“The Ministry is not and would not shield any corporate organization or individual involved in wrongdoing. We remain committed to providing leadership and guidance for the development of the transport sector,” the statement concluded.
The Right to Information Act was passed in 2019 to promote transparency in public administration by granting citizens access to official information held by public institutions. However, the law also includes specific procedures and exemptions, which must be followed before information is released.
As the process continues, the public will be watching closely for any further developments in the case.
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