JoyNews drags SSNIT to RTI Commission over refusal to provide information on hotels sale

JoyNews has lodged an official appeal with the Right to Information (RTI) Commission against the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) for their refusal to grant a Right to Information request regarding the sale of its stakes in several hotels.

In a detailed letter addressed to the Executive Secretary of the RTI Commission,

The head of the Research Desk at JoyNews, Raymond Acquah expressed discontent over SSNIT’s rejection of an RTI request submitted on May 23, 2024.

JoyNews takes the view that the refusal, based on the claim that as a public institution, SSNIT does not have an information officer, constitutes a breach of the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989).

Section 3(b) of Act 989 states that a public institution shall establish an information unit headed by an information officer to facilitate access to information.

Again, In the DECISION BY THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION COMMISSION IN RESPECT OF APPLICATION FOR REVIEW FILED BY EVANS AZIAMOR-MENSAH AGAINST PBC SHEA LIMITED’S REFUSAL TO RELEASE INFORMATION REQUESTED BY EVANS AZIAMOR-MENSAH On 20TH JULY, 2023, with CASE NO: RTIC/AFR/36/2022 the question of Whether or not the absence of an Information Officer or lack thereof in a public institution precludes that public institution from granting access to information requested by an applicant was determined. The commission resolved that “the absence of an information officer or lack thereof in a public institution does not preclude a public institution from granting access to information requested by an applicant. There is no provision in Act 989 which sanctions that position.“

The information requested by JoyNews pertains to SSNIT’s decision to divest 60% of its stake in six hotels within its investment portfolio.

The specifics of the request include:

1. Copies of all minutes from board meetings regarding the status and strategic partnerships of the six hotels since 2017.
2. A list of the 15 firms that showed interest in becoming transaction advisors, including the selection criteria and details of the chosen firm.
3. A list of the nine companies that responded to the advertisements, their proposals, and the Request for Proposal (RFP) documents.
4. Copies of the financial proposals from the six shortlisted companies.
5. The technical and financial evaluation criteria and records that led to the selection of Rock City Hotel.
6. Copies of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) outlining proposed payment terms, including any variations.
7. Evidence and reports of due diligence conducted.

In his letter, JoyNews urged the RTI Commission to intervene to ensure the release of the information, emphasizing the public’s right to transparency regarding the management and divestiture of public assets.