RTI bill to be passed next week Tuesday

The Right to Information bill will be passed next week Tuesday, Majority Leader Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu has told the House.

According to him, the Minister sponsoring the bill has indicated his intention to take the bill through a second reading stage.

It is expected that this new phase of consideration will incorporate fresh proposals from CSOs.

Answering a question on the bill in parliament, the Majority Leader was quite sure on the scheduled date for the passage of the bill.

“Mr. Speaker…the Minister had indicated to me that he was going to pass it through the second consideration stage and once we do that the third reading will be done next week Tuesday.”

Speaker of Parliament Prof Mike Oquaye ordered the removal of the Right to Information bill from the House’s order paper Thursday.

The order was necessitated by demands by Civil Society Organisations for some amendments to be effected before the passage of the bill into law.

The RTI Coalition has presented some proposals to be incorporated into the bill before passage.

Announcing the directive, the Speaker said “We are duty bound to listen to other view points on this matter.”

The Speaker’s directive came barely 24hours after the Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs disclosed the Bill will be passed into law on Friday March 22.