Police, Parliament, Judiciary, ADB, fined GH₵5.6m for flouting RTI law
According to the findings, the Ghana Police Service has already paid GH₵450,357 in fines, while CHRAJ still owes GH₵30,000.
An investigation by Corruption Watch Ghana has revealed that more than 60 state and private institutions have racked up fines amounting to GH₵5.6 million for breaching the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
The penalties were issued by the RTI Commission (RTIC) after the institutions either refused or failed to release information requested by citizens.
According to the findings, the Ghana Police Service has already paid GH₵450,357 in fines, while CHRAJ still owes GH₵30,000.
Parliament has cleared GH₵53,785, the Judicial Service has an outstanding GH₵100,000, the Attorney-General’s Department owes GH₵50,000, and SSNIT has settled GH₵200,000.
The most severe sanction fell on the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), which was hit with a single fine of GH₵1.365 million.
Other significant cases include GH₵260,000 paid by the Ministry of Education, GH₵150,000 from the Lands Commission, and GH₵60,000 by the Ghana Audit Service.
The Public Procurement Authority (PPA) also has an unpaid fine of GH₵100,000.
The report, titled “Saga over RTI: Millions paid as penalty”, points out that much of these penalties are being settled with public funds, essentially diverting taxpayer money.
In total, the RTIC has issued over 70 determinations against at least 60 separate institutions.
By frequency of sanctions, the Ministry of Education tops the chart with four fines, followed by the Ghana Police Service with three. Ten other institutions including the GES, Judicial Service, Lands Commission, PPA, Ministry of Energy, and Department of Urban Roads have each faced two penalties.
Corruption Watch Ghana noted with concern that many of the bodies fined are institutions mandated to advance transparency and access to information.
“Some key governance institutions, which should promote access to information, are either refusing or failing to comply with the Right to Information (RTI) law by denying access to information requested by citizens,” the report stated.
The six-month probe, conducted from February to July 2025, was spearheaded by Corruption Watch Ghana, an initiative of the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana).
It was carried out in partnership with Transparency International Ghana, the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition, the Africa Center for International Law and Accountability, and media partners Joy FM and Adom FM, with support from the European Union.
