Thus, the right of access to information especially within government institutions is not just a privilege but the right thing to ensure those in office are held accountable.
In fact access to information is necessary for the realisation of the basic rights to freedom of
opinion and expression that are guaranteed in the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights, subsequent human rights declarations, and many national constitutions.
It is in the news that The Gambia's Information Commission established under the Access to Information Act of 2021, recently commemorated International Access to Information Day 2024.
The move is not only timely, but one that demonstrates our collective drive to not only foster but promote transparency and accountability, while also creating a platform to facilitate discussions on the role of access to information (ATI) in advancing democracy and good governance, as well as the challenges and opportunities in implementing the ATI Act in The Gambia.
Many would recall that The Gambia in the last regime was held hostage as some of these rights were seized. That, at some point created confusion and fear among the citizens, as no citizen dare probe into some critical government information, even though they have the right to.
It is important to state here that access to public information empowers citizens to address pressing global challenges such as climate change, corruption, public health, and social abuse.
In the past, most government institutions felt reluctant to release information due to fear that when information lands in the hands of citizens it may harm the government. This reminds us about the Access to Information Act 2021, which was passed and part of that law is that people should have access to information from public institutions.
Thus, we commend the government for demonstrating or showing its political direction towards this cause. We hope that more measures are taken to ensure its effective implementation.
In this day and age, it is important to highlight the need for greater collaboration among public institutions, civil society, media, and academia.
Let’s remember that knowledge is power, and transparency is the remedy to the darkness under which corruption and abuse thrives. In simple terms, democracy depends on a knowledgeable citizenry whose access to a broad range of information enables them to participate fully in public life, help determine priorities for public spending etc.