The Right to Information Commission (RTI) has levied fines amounting to GH₵220,000 against four public institutions for their non-compliance with the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989).
This enforcement action, detailed in a statement released on February 5, is the result of investigations and hearings carried out under the Commission’s statutory authority to ensure that public institutions respect the right to access information.
The institutions that have been penalised, along with their respective fines, are Ghana Education Service (GH₵10,000), WBM Zion Senior High School (GH₵10,000), National Pensions Regulatory Authority (GH₵100,000) and Economic and Organised Crime Office (GH₵100,000).
The Commission identified violations such as the failure to comply with statutory timelines, disclosure obligations, and enforcement directives.
According to Section 71(2)(f) of the Act, the Commission is empowered to impose administrative penalties on institutions that do not fulfil their obligations.
Genevieve Shirley Lartey, the Executive Secretary of the Commission, emphasised that adherence to the Act is compulsory and not optional.
She called on public institutions to enhance their internal processes to fulfil their obligations, cautioning that persistent non-compliance would lead to additional enforcement actions.
“The Commission remains resolute in upholding the right of access to information as a cornerstone of transparency, accountability, and democratic governance,” the statement added.
