By Hillary Turyasingura
apearlnews.com
The State Minister for Information, Communications, Technology, and National
Guidance Peter Ogwang has revealed that Government is committed to ensuring
that citizens get to access timely and authentic information.
Minister Ogwang made the remarks on Thursday while officiating at the launch of
the Access to Information Act guidelines for civil servants, in a speech that was read on his
behalf by the director of Information and National Guidance directorate at the
Ministry of ICT and National Guidance Simon Mayembe, The minister revealed that the government is committed to ensuring that Ugandans get access to information by always being updated on the events and developments in the country.
The guidelines were compiled by Twaweza Uganda in partnership with the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance.
At a function held at the Golf course Hotel in Kampala, minister Minister Ogwang noted that it is significant for citizens to get access to information so they are able to appreciate the role of the Government in making
decisions on their behalf.
He also noted that meaningful participation in democratic processes requires an
informed populace therefore, access to information would help to address most
grievances that arise due to limited access to full information.
While speaking at the same launch the executive director of Twaweza-Uganda
Aidan Eyakuze noted that there is not much that can be done without bringing
the citizens on board while Susan Juliet Agwang who represented Africa Freedom of
Information Centre- AFIC stressed that it is a constitutional right for citizens to request
for and get access to information.
The Access to Information Act guidelines were drafted following a number
surveys by Twaweza-Uganda and other organizations on public opinion and
interviews of civil servants conducted that found significant challenges in the
the practice of access to information in Uganda.
