Right to Information Request Form (Ghana)

A Right to Information Request Form in Ghana states what the requester is asking for and the basis on which it should be granted.

Ghana enacted the Right to Information Act 2019 (Act 989) on 21 May 2019, bringing into force the right to information guaranteed under Article 21(1)(f) of the Constitution of Ghana 1992, which provides that all persons shall have the right to information subject to such qualifications and laws as are necessary in a democratic society. Act 989 came into force on 22 January 2020. The Right to Information Commission (RTIC), established under Section 56 of Act 989, is the independent oversight body responsible for promoting and supervising the implementation of the right to information regime in Ghana. The RTIC receives appeals from applicants whose requests have been refused or not responded to, and has the power to investigate, order disclosure, and impose sanctions on non-compliant public institutions.

The Right to Information Act 2019 (Act 989) applies to all public institutions in Ghana, defined broadly in Section 1 to include government ministries, departments, agencies, metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies, statutory bodies, public corporations, and any body exercising a public function. The Act imposes proactive publication obligations on public institutions — under Section 8 of Act 989, public institutions must proactively publish certain categories of information (including their organisational structure, functions, policies, and financial information) without waiting for an RTI request.

The Ghana Information Services Department (ISD) under the Ministry of Information, the Office of the Head of Civil Service (OHCS), and individual ministries are key public institutions subject to Act 989. The Ghana Audit Service, the Public Procurement Authority (PPA), the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the Electoral Commission (EC), the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), and the Minerals Commission are among the many specialised public bodies subject to the RTI regime. The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), the Lands Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Communications Authority (NCA), the Bank of Ghana (BoG), and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC Ghana) are also subject to Act 989 in their capacity as public institutions.

A Right to Information Request Form (Ghana) must be submitted to the designated Information Officer of the relevant public institution. Section 55 of Act 989 requires every public institution to designate an Information Officer responsible for receiving and processing RTI requests. The Information Officer must acknowledge receipt of a request within 24 hours and must respond within 14 working days, which may be extended by a further 7 working days in exceptional circumstances under Section 22 of Act 989.

A Right to Information Request Form in Ghana is needed whenever a person or organisation wishes to formally exercise their right to access records held by a public institution under the Right to Information Act 2019 (Act 989), particularly where the information has not been proactively published by the institution.

A Right to Information Request Form is required when a journalist, researcher, or civil society organisation needs access to government procurement records, tender documents, or contract awards held by the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) or a procuring entity under the Public Procurement Act 2003 (Act 663), to investigate potential irregularities or to report on public spending.

A Right to Information Request Form is needed when a landowner, developer, or prospective buyer needs access to land registry records, survey plans, or valuation reports held by the Lands Commission under the Land Act 2020 (Act 1036), to verify title or resolve a boundary dispute.

A Right to Information Request Form is required when a citizen, voter, or civil society organisation wants to inspect electoral rolls, electoral commission decisions, or constituency boundary records held by the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana under the Electoral Commission Act 1993 (Act 451).

A Right to Information Request Form is needed when a business, investor, or legal practitioner enrolled with the Ghana Bar Association needs access to regulatory decisions, licences, permits, or correspondence held by a regulator such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Minerals Commission, the National Communications Authority (NCA), or the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

A Right to Information Request Form is required when a complainant or affected party in an administrative matter wants access to records held by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) relating to an investigation, a public official's conduct, or a government agency's decision.

A Right to Information Request Form is needed when a student, academic, or think-tank researcher needs access to government statistics, policy documents, or institutional reports not proactively published by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), or other government bodies.

Parties should submit the form to the designated Information Officer of the relevant public institution and retain a copy of the submitted form for their records. Where a request is refused or not responded to within the statutory time limit, the applicant may appeal to the Right to Information Commission (RTIC) under Section 41 of Act 989.

A valid Right to Information Request Form in Ghana under Section 18 of the Right to Information Act 2019 (Act 989) must contain the following essential elements.

Applicant Details: Full legal name, address, and contact information of the applicant. Under Section 18(2) of Act 989, the applicant is not required to state a reason for the request. A request may not be refused solely because the applicant has not given a reason. Where the applicant is applying on behalf of an organisation or as a legal representative, the organisation's name and registration number should be stated, together with evidence of authority to act on behalf of the organisation.

Identification of the Public Institution: The full name of the public institution to which the request is addressed — for example, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), the Lands Commission, the Electoral Commission (EC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Bank of Ghana (BoG), or the relevant government ministry, department, or agency. The request should be addressed to the designated Information Officer of the institution, as required by Section 55 of Act 989.

Description of Information Requested: A sufficiently clear description of the information, record, or document requested to enable the Information Officer to identify and locate the relevant records. The description should include: the subject matter of the information; the date or period to which the records relate; any reference numbers, file numbers, or identifiers known to the applicant; and the format in which the applicant prefers to receive the information (paper copy, electronic copy, inspection).

Preferred Format: Under Section 18(3) of Act 989, the applicant may specify the format in which they wish to receive the information — including electronic format, physical copies, or in-person inspection. The public institution must accommodate the applicant's preferred format where reasonably practicable.

Fee Acknowledgment: Section 25 of Act 989 permits public institutions to charge a reasonable fee for processing RTI requests, except where the applicant is indigent or the public interest in disclosure outweighs the cost of production. The request form should acknowledge the applicant's awareness of the potential fee and state whether the applicant requests a fee waiver on grounds of indigency or public interest.

Declaration: A declaration by the applicant that the information in the request form is accurate and that the applicant is aware of their rights and obligations under the Right to Information Act 2019 (Act 989), including the right to appeal to the Right to Information Commission (RTIC) under Section 41 of Act 989 if the request is refused or not responded to within the statutory time limit.

Date and Submission: The date of the request and the method of submission — in person, by post, by electronic mail, or through the public institution's online RTI portal if available. The applicant should obtain a written acknowledgment of receipt from the Information Officer within 24 hours of submission, as required by Section 20 of Act 989.

Appeals: If the Information Officer refuses the request or fails to respond within 14 working days (extendable by 7 working days under Section 22 of Act 989), the applicant may appeal to the head of the public institution within 7 days of the refusal or expiry of the response period, and thereafter to the Right to Information Commission (RTIC) established under Section 56 of Act 989.

Forms-legal.com provides this Right to Information Request Form as a starting point for persons seeking to exercise their rights under the Right to Information Act 2019 (Act 989) in Ghana. The Right to Information Commission (RTIC) publishes guidance on submitting RTI requests and appealing refusals on its official website.