By Iddi Yire
Accra, June 29, GNA – Members of Parliament (MPs) from both sides of the House, have lauded Madam Fatimatu Abubakar, the Information Minister, for the timely presentation of the Right to Information (RTI) Commission 2023 Report to the House.
In accordance with Section 77(4) of Act 989, the Minister made her maiden appearance before the plenary of the House on Friday, June 28, to present her Report on the activities of public institutions and the RTI Commission for the period January to December 2023.
Contributing to the report, Mr. Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, the Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business in Parliament, commended Madam Abubakar for her hard work and timely delivery of the RTI Commission 2023 Report.
He said Madam Abubakar’s elevation from a Deputy Minister of Information to Minister of Information was an assurance that the women of the country were capable and had the capacity to deliver.
“…So, Honourable Abubakar on behalf of the House I say congratulations, this is your maiden statement on the floor of Parliament, you’ve left no doubt on the minds of MPs that you are able to deliver.”
The Majority Leader reiterated that the Government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was committed to accountability and transparency in Governance.
On his part, Mr. Kwame Governs Agbodza, the Minority Chief Whip and National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Adaklu, also commended the Minister for complying with the time frame for the submission of the RTI Report to the House; saying “indeed, when Ministers comply with the laws that we make, we must commend them for that.”
Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, NDC MP for North Tongu, also praised Madam Abubakar for the timely presentation of the 2023 RTI Report to the House; stating that in compliance with Section 77(4) of Act 989, the RTI Act, the Minister was very much within the stipulated time.
“Mr. Speaker, the law requires the Minister to appear before us before the 30th of June, to present the annual report and Mr. Speaker, today, the 28th (of June), the Honourable Minister has duly complied,” Mr. Ablakwa said.
“And when Ministers act commendably, we have to praise them, and we have to laud them for being compliant to the laws this House has passed; so that we are all encouraged to follow that example and then it also helps us to understand exactly what is happening in the RTI space.”
Mr. Ablakwa, who said it took the nation more than 20 years to pass the RTI Bill into law, further commended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for assenting to the RTI Bill.
Mr. Frank Annoh-Dompreh, the Majority Chief Whip and New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, said as a nation, Ghanaians need to admit that they had traversed a tortuous and a difficult path to be where they were today; adding that he was happy that the RTI Bill had been passed into law.
GNA