A RECENT Corruption Watch investigation has revealed that several prominent institutions in Ghana, including the Ghana Police Service, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Parliamentary Service, Judicial Service of Ghana, Attorney General’s Department, and Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), have accumulated hefty fines totaling approximately GHS5.6 million.
The fines were imposed due to these institutions’ failure to provide information requested by citizens under the Right to Information (RTI) law.
The investigation, which was conducted over a six-month period from February to July 2025, further revealed that the Ghana Police Service has paid a fine of GHS450, 357, while the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice still owes GHS30,000.
Other institutions that have violated the law include the Parliamentary Service, which paid GHS53,785; the Judicial Service of Ghana, with an outstanding fine of GHS100,000; the Attorney General’s Department, owing GHS50,000; and the Social Security and National Insurance Trust, which has settled a fine of GHS200,000.
The Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) paid the largest fine, totaling GHS1.365 million. Other significant payments were made by the Ministry of Education (GHS260,000), the Lands Commission (GHS150,000), and the Ghana Audit Service (GHS60,000). The Public Procurement Authority (PPA) still owes a fine of GHS100,000.
The investigation further discovered that state institutions have been using taxpayers’ funds to pay for fines imposed on them by the RTI Commission (RTIC). These details are contained in Corruption Watch Ghana’s latest investigative report titled ‘Saga over RTI: Millions paid as penalty’, released on September 29, 2025.
Investigation has uncovered that some of Ghana’s key governance institutions are failing to comply with the Right to Information (RTI) law, denying citizens access to requested information. This non-compliance has resulted in fines imposed by the RTI Commission, totaling approximately GHS5.6 million across over 70 determinations involving at least 60 institutions.
The investigation further revealed that in terms of frequency, the Ministry of Education ranks highest with four penalties received, while the Ghana Police Service has received three penalties. Ten other institutions have suffered two penalties each. They include the Ghana Education Service (GES), the Judicial Service, the Lands Commission, the PPA, the Ministry of Energy, and the Urban Roads Department.