Ghana’s Information Minister has urged government agencies to leverage the Right to Information Act to proactively communicate their achievements. By routinely publishing information without waiting for requests, institutions can control the narrative and highlight their positive contributions to governance. This strategy ensures that the public receives accurate, favorable contexts regarding government operations rather than relying on fragmented or misunderstood data. The minister emphasized that failing to engage in proactive disclosure creates a vacuum where citizens may use legal provisions to demand specific information. Such reactive responses often allow external actors to frame issues negatively, potentially undermining trust in public institutions. Consequently, agencies must actively manage their communication strategies to prevent opponents from setting agendas that misrepresent government efforts or highlight isolated failures. This directive is crucial for open data because it shifts transparency from a passive compliance exercise to an active engagement tool. When governments voluntarily share comprehensive data, they foster greater public trust and enable informed civic participation. Proactive disclosure serves as a foundation for an open society, where accurate information flows freely, reducing misinformation and empowering citizens to understand and support policy implementations effectively.
Source: ghanamma.comPublished on 2023-09-23