Architects Registration Council to pay GH¢50,000 fine for not complying with RTI request
By DL News
Published
1 min read
The RTI Commission had directed the ARC to release specific information regarding allegations of an extension to the Governing Council's mandate by the sector minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah.
The Architects Registration Council (ARC), operating under the Ministry of Works and Housing, has been fined GH¢50,000 for failing to comply with directives issued by the Right to Information (RTI) Commission.
The RTI Commission had directed the ARC to release specific information regarding allegations of an extension to the Governing Council's mandate by the sector minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah. However, the Registrar of the Council, Dr. Emmanuel Eyiah-Botwe, did not fulfill this request.
In his response, Dr. Eyiah-Botwe stated he was out of town and therefore unable to provide the requested information. Ironically, the same letter communicating his unavailability was signed by him, a detail the Commission found concerning.
The RTI Commission highlighted that the ARC’s actions violated Act 989, which governs the public's right to access information. It emphasized that such non-compliance undermines Article 21(1)(f) of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, which guarantees citizens’ right to information.
As a consequence, the Commission imposed an administrative fine of GH¢50,000 on the ARC. Additionally, a default penalty of 10% of the initial fine will be applied if the Council fails to pay within seven days. The ARC has also been directed to provide the requested information within the same timeframe.
