By: Precious Miracle Kargbo
On maintaining the right and access to information for media practitioners, state actors and non-state actors, the chairman and information commissioner Dr Ibrahim Seaga Shaw during an intense media engagement affirms that the right to access information act of (2013) will ensure digital and swift access to public information for all in the country.
To start with, Dr Shaw maintains that the objective of the commission is to raise awareness of the 2013 right to information act and the work of the commission to increase the demand and supply of information.
He furthers that the work of the commission also entails promoting transparency, accountability and good governance which includes all ministries, departments and agencies, public information officers, professional interest groups, supporting human right workers, civil society organizations and journalists because they are mainly people who just not participate in the supply of information but also demand for it as there will be no supply and demand of information without these participants.
He added that with the parliamentary approval of (RAI) regulations it is also the responsibility of the commission to engage in capacity building and public sensitization to ensure better understanding of (RAI) regulations and in what strides they complement the act.
Furthermore, the Commissioner highlights that the aim of the right to access information act of 2013 is to promote digital access to information which will ensure that all citizens in Sierra Leone have a digital access to information for all citizens in the country.
“We are going to be operating our website and we are going to capture these forms there and the whole idea is to facilitate digital access to information and we’re going to make the transition, in as much as the analogue FOI request will continue we will also provide the opportunity for people to digitally access information”, he explained.
In another lens, expressing the view of media practitioners on how the act will be of importance to them, SLAJ President Ahmed Sahid Nasralla outlines that regulations will empower access to information, investigative reporting will ensure journalist to lay hands on data’s, public records and documents necessary for investigative reporting which in turn uncovers stories of public interest, expose corruption and hold public officials accountable safeguarding the democracy. He furthers that a free independent press is the corner stone for any country’s democracy, so the access to information regulation should ensure that journalist always work with undue constrains providing the public with the information they need to make inform decisions especially during public elections, matters of public policy and national conversations.
Emmanuel Turay, the director of information at the ministry of information and civic education highlights that the act is a part of Governments commitment to make Sierra Leoneans get easy access to information that has always been at the apex of their request.
Turay continues that the just approved RAI regulations 2022 targets public information officials, journalist and other public officials across MDA’s from other private sector groups simply because of the significant role played as public information officials in disseminating vital information in society.
Conclusively, Emmanuel admonish all public information officials to go through the 2013 RIA act to enhance a deep understanding on the role of the commission to their duties and line of work.