National Security Minister Slapped With GH¢50,000 Penalty By RIC

The Minister for National Security, Mr.  Albert Kan Dapaah has been ordered to pay the Right to Information Commission (RIC) ¢50,000 within 14 days.

This is contained in a decision of the Commission on a case brought before it by the Fix the Country Convener, Mr. Oliver Barker-Vormawor.

He is additionally directed to release the following pieces of information to Mr. Barker-Vormawor;

“The Report of the investigation committee set up by the Ministry of National Security to investigate a report of arrest of Mr. Caleb Kudah of Citi FM on May 11, 2021, which was referred to in the Statement by the National Security of 20th May, 2021.

The Standard Operating Procedures of the National Security which was referred to in the Statement by the National Security on 20th May, 2021.

The specific aspects of the Standard Operating Procedures of the National Security which were found to have been contravened by Lt. Colonel Frank Agyeman as indicated in the Statement by the National Security of 20th May 2021.

The specific aspects of the Standard Operating Procedures or any other protocols of the Ministry of National Security which require that persons effecting arrest of Ghanaian citizens in Ghana should be masked.

Information indicating which ethics and professional standards guiding the operational duties of the Ministry of National Security require that persons effecting arrests of Ghana citizens should be masked.”

The Commission however says the following should not be released:

“The CCTV recordings of the interrogation of Caleb Kudah of Citi FM pursuant to his arrest on 114 May, 2021.

The CCTV recordings of Mr. Caleb Kudah of Citi FM’s movements in the complex of the National Security prior to his arrest on 114 May, 2021.

The names and ranks of the three Police Officers mentioned in the Statement by the National Security of 20th May 2021.

The names, designations and roles of the individuals who effected the arrest of Mrs. Zoe Abu-Baidoo at the premises of the Citi FM.”

These orders were issued after the Commission found that the actions of the National Security Ministry and the Minister “militates against the right of access to information enshrined under Article 21(1)(f) of the 1992 Constitution…”.

The Fix the Country convener in 2022 wrote to the Ministry requesting the above specified information following widespread news regarding the alleged assault on Caleb Kudah and Zoe Abu Baidoo.

The Ministry did not respond to the application and a review application causing the youth activist to seek the intervention of the commission.

The Commission as part of its probe wrote to the Ministry of National Security asking that it responds to the petition. The Ministry has still not responded. The Commission therefore determined the matter on its own.

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