The Right to Access Information Commission has delivered its 2024 Annual Report to the Ministry of Information and Civic Education. During the brief ceremony at the Youyi Building in Freetown, Minister Chernor A. Bah praised the Commission for what he called one of the strongest records among public bodies in Sierra Leone. He noted that the RAIC’s work continues to set a standard for transparency and public service.
Minister Bah commended the Commission for maintaining a steady record of transparency and accountability. He said the RAIC continues to demonstrate why it remains central to the country’s efforts to strengthen good governance.
The Chairman of the Commission, Dr Ibrahim Seaga Shaw, presented the report and reflected on the progress made under his leadership. He recalled that when the current administration assumed office, the Commission had no annual report and had received only 112 information requests nationwide.
“By 2023, we recorded 19,496 requests. The growth has been remarkable,” he said. Although the 2024 numbers are slightly lower, Dr Shaw said he expects an improvement next year, noting that Access to Information and Proactive Disclosure have now been included among the performance indicators monitored by the State House Delivery Unit.
He added that the report was submitted in keeping with Section 41 of the Right to Access Information Act, which requires the Commission to provide an account of its activities, achievements, and finances each year.He expressed confidence that the 2024 document reflects meaningful progress. In turn, Minister Bah expressed the government’s continued commitment to supporting the Commission’s work. He indicated that the Ministry is in consultation with the RAIC on expanding its mandate to cover data protection to position it to deal with growing challenges related to the governance of information.
He also stressed the need for stronger collaboration with the Ministry of Communication and Technology to ensure that all ministries, departments, and agencies maintain functional websites that meet proactive disclosure standards. He said his team will prepare a Cabinet Paper calling for consistency and compliance across government institutions.
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Deputy Minister Abdel Aziz Bawoh and the Director of Information, Emmanuel Turay, also commended the RAIC. They encouraged continued cooperation as the Ministry prepares for the upcoming National Civic Festival, where the Commission will showcase its work.
The RAIC team at the ceremony included Executive Secretary Mustapha Braima and senior staff members.
