The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) expresses disappointment over journalists' failure to fully utilise the Right To Information (RTI) law.

According to Sulemana Braimah, the Executive Director of the Foundation, despite extensive training and the creation of a simplified manual, journalists have yet to capitalise on its benefits.

“If there is any disappointment, it is within the media community, where training has been conducted and sometimes even support is offered," he told Evans Mensah on Joy News' PM Express on Monday.

He added, "There is guidance in terms of liaising between the applicants and the RTI Commission, yet you still don’t have as many journalists utilising the law in a way that would have brought revelations and reporting on matters that are of significant public interest."

Mr Braimah charged journalists “to up our game when it comes to utilisation of the law.”

In a related development, he disclosed that the Foundation is set to challenge the presidency's refusal to release the complete KPMG audit report on the controversial Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) contract.

He disagreed with the presidency's stance and the rationale cited for denying the RTI request for the report.

Mr Braimah argued that since the report has been deliberated upon and the President has already issued opinions and directives, its release would not affect his position as claimed.

“So what is it that the president would say, ‘well if I issue it out there, it will affect my deliberative processes or review an opinion?’ Those opinions have been communicated, unless the president has, or the report contains something that the president would want to hide from the public,” Mr Braimah said.

“That is why tomorrow (Tuesday) we're actually submitting a petition to the RTI Commission, challenging the decision of the presidency on our request,” he added.

This comes after the Presidency declined a Right to Information (RTI) application submitted by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) seeking the full KPMG audit report on the revenue mobilisation agreement between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Ltd (SML).

Citing section 5 (1) (a) and (b) (i) of the RTI Act, the Presidency stated that it has the right to reject requests for information deemed crucial. According to the Presidency, the KPMG report contains sensitive information falling under these provisions.

However, Mr Briamah believes the President misinterpreted section five of the RTI Act, where it has the right to reject requests for information deemed crucial like the KPMG report.

He emphasised that public sector officers must understand that the information they possess is not their personal property but rather belongs to the public.

Therefore, there is no justification for withholding information from the public when requested.