By Assan Bah
The Information Commission of The Gambia, in partnership with NATCOM, on Tuesday, October 22, 2024 commemorated International Access to Information Day 2024.
The Access to Information (ATI) Day was in 2015 adopted in a resolution by the UNESCO general conference, declaring 28th September of every year as International Day for Universal Access to Information.
The commemoration, which brought together government officials, the media, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), state and non-state actors, and university students, was held under the theme: “Mainstreaming Access to Information and Public Participation across Government Sectors.”
The event provided a platform to explore the critical role of access to information in enhancing democracy and good governance, as well as discuss challenges and opportunities in implementing The Gambia’s Access to Information (ATI) Act.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mrs Neneh Macdounall-Gaye, the Chairperson of the Information Commission, said passing the ATI law is a major stride and a demonstration of political will. More importantly, she said it is time to ensure the effective implementation of the law.
“To achieve this, there must be coordinated efforts among public institutions, civil society organizations, the media, academia, and other citizens. The commission therefore stands ready to work with all state and non-state actors,” she explained.
She expressed gratitude to the Gambia National Commission for UNESCO.
Representing the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, the Deputy Permanent Secretary, Mr Fanding Kinteh, said: “In the Gambia, we recognize the pivotal role that access to Information plays in empowering citizens, fostering transparency and empowerment and driving sustainable development.”
He said the government regards access to accurate, reliable, and timely information as not only a luxury, but a necessity in an interconnected world.
He assured his ministry’s commitment to ensuring that all citizens are not only informed about their rights to access information, but also fully empowered to utilize such rights for the greater benefit and well-being of society.
Mrs Maimuna Sidibeh, from UNESCO NATCOM, said that ATI helps in fostering intercultural understanding and helps in combating extremism, and promotes informed decision-making that enhances transparency and accountability.
Mr Emmauneul Joof, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), who presented on ‘The Role of Access to Information in Strengthening Democracy and Good Governance, said: “Good governance is strengthened when citizens have access to Information as it promotes transparency and accountability. By promoting open access to government information, transparency is created and this inevitably helps to combat corruption, inefficiency, and abuse of power.”
Speaking at a panel discussion, Muhammed S. Bah, President of the Gambia Press Union (GPU), called for more efforts from the government in the implementation of the law.
“We still have colonial laws and General Order in the Gambia,” he noted.
Salieu Taal, a member of the CSO Coalition, said commitment should be translated into actions as he argues that without an informed citizenry, there cannot be a participatory democracy.
