Information Services Department
BACKGROUND
The Information Services Department evolved from an organisation established in the later part of 1939 as a branch of the Colonial Government Secretariat dedicated to convey news on the 2nd World War to the people of Gold Coast. This was done through the production of a weekly journal dubbed the “Empire at War”.
In accordance with recommendations made by the Coussey Committee constituted to investigate the 1949 disturbances, the Gold Coast Government re-organised the Department into the Department of Information, and transformed it into an effective Government information disseminating unit to bridge the communication gap between the government and the governed.
After the war, it was renamed the Public Relations Department with an oversight responsibility for the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, the Ghana News Agency and the Ghana Film Industry Corporation until they were de-coupled to form separate entities.
After the February 24 Revolution in 1966, the then Ministry of Information and the Department of Information Services was merged to become the Central publicity Agent of the Government.
The Department was split in 1971 to become Public Relations Secretariat and the Public Relations Department which is now known as the Ministry of Information and the Information Services Department respectively. It was re-structured to disseminate information on government policies and programmes.
PROFILE OF ISD
The Information Services Department (ISD) is an institution of government mandated to disseminate information on government policies, programmes and activities for national development and also get feedback on same to government. This mandate is guided by the following legislative and regulatory frameworks;
• 1992 Constitution of Ghana
• Executive Instrument 2021(E.I 12)
• Right to Information Act 2019 (Act 989)
• Civil Service Act (Amendment Act) 600
• Civil Service Act, 1993 (PNDC Law 327)
• other relevant legislation.
The Department is headed by a Director, who is answerable to the Minister for Information through the Chief Director of the Ministry of Information and required to provide technical and administrative leadership for the effective discharge of the mandate, functions and objectives of the Department. The Director is the Chief Advisor to the Chief Director on all issues concerning development interventions.
The Department has a national network that includes offices in all sixteen (16) regional capitals and two hundred and thirty-two (232) metropolitan, municipal and districts across the country. It also has four (4) foreign offices at Ghana missions abroad including London, New York, Washington and Beijing.
About RTI
The 1992 Constitution, Article 21 (f) grants every Ghanaian the right to information regarding public sector affairs and governance in general. It is against this backdrop that Parliament passed the Right to Information ACT, 2019 (Act 989) which His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo assented to on 21st May, 2019.
The RTI ACT 989 promotes transparency and accountability by empowering people to access information on central and local governments as well as non-governmental organizations, which are publicly funded. In compliance with this law, a Right to Information Office, located within the Information Services Department is operational and Mr. Foster Amenyo has been appointed as the Right to Information officer to facilitate this cause.
RTI FACTS
March 2019 the RTI bill was passed.
May, 21, 2019 RTI Received Presidential assent.
January, 2020, implementation of RTI Act began.
Every public institution is required to publish a manual each year, in compliance to the law, The Ho West District Assembly has complied an RTI manual that gives you view and the type of information we possess.
This manual has provided guidance to the public so they know exactly what information to request from our Commission, where and whom to direct the request to in the commission.
Below is a checklist of what the manual contains:
A list of the departments under the institution.
An organogram and functions of the institution and details of the activities of the various divisions or units.
The classes of information that the institution prepares, has custody of or are under its control.
The name, address and contact details of the information officer as well as the information including telephone number(s), email, fax and postal address.
The arrangements and procedures for amending personal records in the institution.
As a result of the RTI Manual NDPC is now enjoined by law to practice proactive disclosure of information.
Download RTI Manual:
Opening Hours:
Monday -Friday: 8am – 5pm
Phone: 0592198759/0596601404
Email: info@hwda.gov.gh