Information Minister Alhaji Ibrahim Ben-Kargbo in his keynote address has commended the Society for Democratic Institute (SDI) for what he described as “beefing up the campaign that has to do with access to information.”
He made this statement as SDI commemorates the ‘Right To Know Day’ on freedom of information, on the theme: “advocating for the promulgation of access to Information Law in Sierra Leone” which was held at the Hill Valley Hotel in Freetown.
The commemoration was preceded by an interactive consultative workshop.
The consultative meeting brought together 45 participants, drawn from among members of parliament, media professionals and representatives of civil society organizations.
The objective of the meeting was to introduce the freedom of Information Bill to a cross-section of stakeholders particularly civil society organizations from all over the country; facilitate a debate with key stakeholders on the necessity of an access to information legislation for Sierra Leone; the contents of the proposed law in the context of the country’s socio- economic and political circumstances, and agree on a strategy for advancing the right to access to information in sierra Leone.
The handbook was formally launched by the Information Minister and statements were made by representatives of the Human Rights Commission, Independent Media Commission, Anti-Corruption Commission and Civil Society Organizations.
On the 28th September, 2002, Freedom of Information organizations from various countries around the globe met in Sofia, Bulgaria where they created a network of Freedom of Information Advocates (FOIA) and agreed to collaborate in promoting the individual right of access to information.
The group of FOI Advocates also proposed that 28th September be nominated as international “Right to Know Day” in order to symbolize the global movement for promoting the right to information.
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