By Chernor Alimamy Kamara
A report published this January by the Media Reform Coordinating Group (MRCG) has warned Government officials to stop stone-walling and instead be willing and ready to respond to requests from journalists seeking to cross-check their information.
The report noted that the Chairman and Information Commissioner of the Right to Access Information Commission (RAIC), Dr. Ibrahim Seaga-Shaw, told MRCG of the commission organizing two events to highlight the issue.
The events were a symposium to commemorate International Day for Universal Access to Information in September 2023 and a one-day capacity-building workshop for public information officers from various Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and non-state actors on the RAI Regulations 2022 to empower professionals with a comprehensive understanding of the legal frameworks, good practices and practical tools related to the right to access information.
“Generally, there is progress in the compliance rate in information disclosure since our recent engagements with authorities, there is also a high compliance rate in the Proactive Disclosure of Information (PDI),” he said.
He was quoted in the report to have noted that 52 MDAs had submitted their PDI publication schemes, for which 30 met the threshold, set out by the commission as compared to the previous years.
Dr. Seaga-Shaw said in the report that the commission usually cautions defaulters before instituting fines and litigations, and all those cautioned normally do comply with the commission’s laws.
He referenced a complaint the commission received on 22nd August 2023, from Lawyer Augustine Sorie-Sengbeh Marrah for it to review the decision of the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL) on his request for the disclosure of certified summary results of all 16 districts of the Presidential and General Elections held on June 24 Multi-tier elections.
He said RAIC, as per mandate, wrote to ECSL asking them to respond to the request of Lawyer Marrah within 7 working days, which ECSL granted on 30th August 2023, by referring the requester to its website for the available pieces of information. According to RAIC, at the time of writing this report, the requester was reviewing the letter sent by ECSL to RAIC.
Dr. Seaga-Shaw went on to say that the public has started to make better information requests in addition to CSOs and journalists, pointing out that data from the commission indicates that more requests originate in the country’s northern and western regions.
“We have provided records management training and recurring website upgrades to public institutions that occasionally fail to proactively provide information. This has aided the Commission in achieving remarkable progress in terms of the rate of information supply and demand,” he stated.
He told the MRCG that upon request, public institutions are obliged by the commission’s Act of 2013, to comply with the request of releasing information; hence the information requested does not endanger national security, citizens' personal data and patients’ medical records.
The RAIC Chairman and Information Commissioner highlighted that the commission still has a matter at the High Court of Sierra Leone with the Bank of Sierra Leone. He said that in 2020, a journalist, Martha Kargbo made a request to the Bank of Sierra Leone according to the RAIC Act of 2013, but was reportedly denied the information requested.
Established by an Act of Parliament in 2013, RAIC provides for the disclosure of information held by public authorities or by persons providing services for them and to provide for other related matters. The commission’s key responsibilities are to facilitate and promote the supply and demand of public information in the country with requests from an individual or a body.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (14/01/24)
