A damning report by Corruption Watch has exposed widespread violations of the Right to Information (RTI) law by key state institutions, resulting in hefty penalties.
The six-month investigation, conducted between February and July 2025, revealed that more than 70 determinations by the RTI Commission (RTIC) have led to fines totalling about GHC5.6 million against at least 60 public and private institutions.
The report, titled “Saga Over RTI: Millions Paid as Penalty”, highlights how institutions mandated to uphold accountability are instead undermining transparency.
Among the biggest culprits is the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), which was fined GHC1.365 million, making it the single largest violator.
The Ghana Police Service has already paid GHC450,357, while the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) owes GHC30,000.
The Parliamentary Service has settled GHC53,785, but the Judicial Service and Attorney-General’s Department still owe GHC100,000 and GHC50,000 respectively.
Other offenders include the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), which paid GHC200,000, the Ministry of Education with GHC260,000, the Lands Commission fined GHC150,000, and the Public Procurement Authority with GHC100,000.
The investigation further disclosed that the Ministry of Education recorded the highest number of penalties with four violations, followed closely by the Ghana Police Service with three.
Other repeat offenders include the Ghana Education Service, Judicial Service, Lands Commission, Ministry of Energy, and the Urban Roads Department.
These repeated breaches point to a pattern of disregard for the RTI law, raising concerns about institutional indiscipline and entrenched opacity in the public sector.
Worryingly, Corruption Watch raised alarm that the fines are being paid from taxpayers’ money, defeating the very essence of the RTI law, which was designed to promote transparency and accountability.
