The Right to Access Information Commission (RAIC) has come in the spotlight for undermining access to information as enshrined in its Act of 2013.
One of our reporters, Bobor Dan Kamara, has written a series of letters to the RAIC Chairman Dr. Ibrahim Seaga Shaw to facilitate access to information, but his efforts have proven futile as the RAIC is a toothless bull dog despite being fortified by the Act.
The requester asserted that he had written letters to the Director General of National Mineral Agency (NMA) for their annual report documents, the full Community Development Agreement documents between FG Gold Mining Company and its host community and the periodic report of the said company.
NMA could not provide the documents within the stipulated timeframe, a reason he relentlessly applied for an appeal to Dr. Shaw.
RAIC, on 4th April 2025, approved his appeal and ordered NMA to provide the requested information within 7 days. The grace period has since elapsed with NMA neither responding to their letter nor providing the documents.
RAIC is yet to put the matter to rest by acting based on the provisions of its Act.
This issue has been on the desk of Dr. Shaw for almost a year now, and nothing has been done to salvage the situation.
Timely access to information is a fundamental human right.
