Bolgatanga will be one of the key locations targeted for strengthened oversight under Ghana’s 2026 transparency reforms, according to the 2026 Budget Statement and Economic Policy presented Thursday by Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.
The Right to Information Commission (RTIC) will expand its compliance monitoring to 150 public institutions across Accra, Kumasi, Bolgatanga and Sunyani next year, the budget said. The move is part of a broader push to ensure that citizens’ constitutional right to information is enforced consistently across all levels of government.
In 2025, the RTIC intensified public awareness of the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989), rolling out nationwide sensitisation campaigns that boosted citizens’ understanding of the law and encouraged greater civic participation. The Commission conducted engagements in 44 public institutions, trained information officers, and assessed compliance in 56 institutions in the Greater Accra Region. Thirty-two institutions met the required standards, while 24 were flagged for corrective action.
Government says the RTIC will scale up its work in 2026 by extending sensitisation to 50 more institutions and partnering with civil society organisations to deepen transparency initiatives. It also plans to lay the draft regulations of Act 989 before Parliament to provide a clearer legal framework for implementing the law.
To improve public access, the Commission will open new regional offices in Cape Coast, Ho, Takoradi, Koforidua, and Tamale.
According to the budget, the RTIC, National Media Commission, and National Development Planning Commission will continue working together to strengthen Ghana’s democratic governance system through transparency, participation, and accountability.
Source: a1radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Bolgatanga
