As part of the government’s efforts to implement the Right to Information Act and pursuant to section 45(c) of the Right to Information Act 2019 (989) which provides recommendations and guidelines to a public institution for internal training of personnel, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, in collaboration with the Right to Information Commission (RTI), has on Tuesday, July 19, 2022, began a training program for the various agencies under the Ministry.
The training program, which was in two sessions started with a welcome address from the Ministry’s Right to Information Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Afful, who indicated the purpose of the training by saying that “we are here to familiarize ourselves with the provisions of the Right To Information Act 989 and also to consider the role of members of staff in providing factual information to the public.”
Facilitators of the Training, Dr. Winnifred Nafisa Mahama, Head of the Access to Information Division (ATID), and Mr. Sampson Hodor, a Principal Information Officer with the Division, took turns expounding on the topics of the background, application process, exemptions, and the Decision of the Commission on the Right to Information Act.
The training informed participants about the details of implementation as stated in the constitutional right to information held by public institutions, subject to the exemptions that are necessary and consistent with the protection of public interest in a democratic society.
The training also included an interactive session where participants had the opportunity to ask questions and make contributions to the conversation.
The agencies that participated on the first day of the training included the Minerals Commission, Precious Minerals Marketing Company, Ghana Plantation Fund Board, and the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands (OASL).
Source: Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources