Ghanaians are being encouraged to utilize the provisions of the Right to Information law to access information from public institutions whenever the need arises.

In order to facilitate this process, a significant number of public institutions, totaling 478, have established information units and appointed designated officers to handle requests made under the Right to Information (RTI) Law.

Investigative journalists, who often uncover sensitive information and hold public officials accountable, are particularly vulnerable to physical and digital attacks. These attacks typically come from individuals associated with officials who fear exposure and public scrutiny.

To provide protection and support to journalists, Kwaku Krobea Asante, the Project Coordinator at the Media Foundation for West Africa, emphasizes that journalists should take refuge in the provisions of the Right to Information Law.

He was speaking at a training session about the Right to Information law.

“The law empowers citizens. No longer will journalists or citizens go to public offices and beg for information. It gives the citizens power to stand behind the law and push and call for the fundamental human rights to information,” he said.

Citizen groups and journalists in the Ashanti Region who participated in the training are expected to hold duty bearers in their communities accountable.

“We live in a society where the people seeking accountability sometimes become targets. Sometimes the work you are doing may be making a public official unpopular. We advise journalists to be careful of how they conduct themselves in public spaces. Sometimes, it is not just about the physical attacks, but digital attacks,” he advised.