Right To Information Coalition Contests Avoka

The Right to Information Coalition yesterday contested the assertion by the Majority Leader in Parliament, Mr Cletus Avoka, that the coalition is contributing to the delay in passing the bill. The coalition�s reactions were contained in press statement read by Nana Oye Lithur, convener of the Coalition on RTI, at the International Press Centre in Accra. �The RTI coalition finds it regrettable that the Majority Leader is blaming the coalition for Parliament�s delay in passing the bill. �There is ample evidence to show that the coalition has consistently provided technical and other support to Parliament and all the relevant stakeholders through the RTI�s legislative process,� she said. Giving details of what the coalition has done to support the bill so far, Mrs Lithur said the coalition submitted a detailed memorandum on the bill to Parliament in April 2010 and followed that with the distribution of 230 copies of the coalition�s publication containing a clause-by-clause commentary on the RTI to all MPs in April 2010. �It has also distributed 230 leaflets of �Why you need the RTI Bill� and other RTI literature material to Parliament,� she said. The coalition said apart from resource materials on RTI, it has had several engagements with Parliament since the bill was laid before it in March 2010.