Ghana Police fined GH¢100k for refusing RTI Commission’s orders

The Ghana Police Service has been fined GH¢100,000 for refusing to obey the Right to Information (RTI) Commission’s directive granting an applicant access to requested information.

The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), Africa, had written a letter asking for information on the status of cases involving police brutality.

Even though the letter was addressed to the Inspector General of Police, the Police Service disregarded it.

The Right To Information Commission in a statement underscored the Police Service failure to act on the applicant’s request, and also ignoring the Commission’s letter.

“Based on the Respondent’s failure to make decisions on the Applicant’s application lodged with it, the Respondent has clearly failed to perform its obligation under Act 989. This is coupled with its failure to respond to the Commission’s letter received by it.

“Such a posture by the Respondent is not to be encouraged as it is an affront to the right of access to information enshrined under Article 21(1) (f) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana and affirmed by Act 989 and same ought to be disapproved in strong terms.

“For this reason, an administrative penalty of GH¢ 100,000.00 is imposed on the Respondent and this shall be payable to the Commission not later than 14 days after receipt of this decision of the Commission by the Respondent.

“The penalty so imposed shall attract an additional default penalty rate of l0% on the principal penalty sum of GH¢100,000.00 in the event of default for any additional 14 days thereafter.”