We won't rush in passing RTI bill - KT Hammond

e annan

November 1, 2018 9:39 AM

The RTI bill is a fundamental human right guaranteed by the country’s 1992 Constitution and recognised as a right under International Conventions on Human rights.

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Hon. KT Hammond, Member of Parliament for Adansi-Asokwa, has indicated that parliament wont rush to pass the

He said the passage of the law comes with a lot of repercussions, therefore, some patience is needed to look at it carefully.

“I am very very worried. It has potential banana skins and we have got to look at it pretty carefully and some of us are petrified. I am very uncomfortable,” he said.

Parliament has come under intense pressure from civil society organisations and the media coalitions to expedite action on the passage of the bill.

However, KT Hammond said: "we will do our best. We will go through but nobody is going to rush.”

The RTI bill is a fundamental human right guaranteed by the country’s 1992 Constitution and recognised as a right under International Conventions on Human rights.The Bill as it has been drafted is to give substance to Article 21 (1) (f) of the Constitution which states that “All persons shall have the right to information subject to such qualifications and laws as are necessary for a democratic society.”

He added: "In opposition, I held the same view. The very last minute when the NDC government wanted to rush it through Parliament, we made sure we stood firm and made sure that we did the right thing… we are going to make sure we in government will do the right thing making sure it goes its normal course.”

MP for the Adansi Asokwa constituency, KT Hammond ece-auto-gen

Mr. Hammond said he was particularly concerned with clause 17 of the Bill, which he described as “the most dangerous clause of all the clauses.”

The clause 17 allows the release of exempt information if the information being requested will reveal evidence of failure to comply with the law, risk to public safety, a miscarriage of justice, an abuse of authority or deregulation of official functions.

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