Presidency refuses FixTheCountry’s RTI request on salaries of Eugene Arhin, others

The Office of the President of Ghana has refused a Right to Information request filed by pressure group #FIxTheCountry.

The pressure group, several weeks ago, wrote to the presidency demanding disclosure of the salaries, allowances, facilities, and privileges enjoyed by some individuals in the president’s office.

The list of individuals included the Director of Communications at the Office of the President, Eugene Arhin; Church Relations Manager, Rev. Ebenezer Saaka Ameyaw; and the president’s appointee responsible for Diaspora Church Mobilization, Fr. Nana K. Ellis.

However, according to a lead convener of #FixTheCountry, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, the presidency has refused to grant the request because it “constitutes unreasonable disclosure of the personal affairs of the individuals concerned.”

While taking exception to the position of the presidency on the request, the convener disclosed the resolve of #FixTheCountry to challenge the refusal of their request.

“We disagree with the president’s assessment that salaries, allowances, facilities and privileges charged on the consolidated fund and paid to public office holders constitute personal information exempt from disclosure. If this logic is allowed to stand, it will become a basis for denying the public access to information on the salaries, allowances, facilities and privileges of the Article 71 office holders contained in the reports of the various Committees.

“In this regard, we have initiated a review process under the relevant legislation towards overturning the President’s decision,” the convener wrote in a Facebook post.

Aimed at promoting public sector transparency and accountability, the Right to Information ACT, 2019 (Act 989) empowers citizens to request information from government institutions and agencies funded by the government.

“We consider that the ability to assess public information relating to expenditure of public funds, without any contrived encumbrances is crucial to the duty of citizens to hold government to account,” Mr Barker-Vormawor added to his Facebook post.