The Right to Access Information and Communication (RAIC) on the 28th February 2019 engaged the media in order to update practitioners on its recent, activities and mandate since it was recently re-vitalized.
In his statement Dr. Ibrahim Seaga Shaw, who is the Chairman and Information Commissioner of the Right to Access to Information Commission (RAIC), pointed out that with support from the World Bank through the Public Finance Management, Improvement and Consolidation project (PFMICP) in the Ministry of Finance on December 6, 2018 launched the Proactive Disclosure of information (PDI) component of the law that governs all public authorities and the immediate support of the development of publication schemes for 10 pilot Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs).
He noted that specifically in part 2 Section 8 (1), the Act delineates 22 minimum classes of information identified that will form the core pro-active publication scheme for every public authority in the country.
Seaga Shaw disclosed that in his speech during a Pro-active Disclosure forum in December and another workshop held in January he appealed to participants to tale the message of the March 1st deadline to the various institutions they represent and encouraged them to comply.
He informed journalists present to popularize the message.
Representing the Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, the Deputy Information Minister, Solomon Jamiru, highlighted that the VP has notified all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to submit their proactive publication schemes to the RAIC on or before 1 st March 2019 for approval.
According to the Deputy Minister, failure to do so will incur an invitation to the RAIC tribunal and there are penalties to be levied.
“The pro-active publication scheme is consistent with the new Government’s call for enhanced transparency, accountability and good governance for all public authorities and limited to MDAs by implementing the law as enacted by Parliament,” Jamiru underscored.
