Govt to get information chiefs
May 06, 2004
THE Government has directed all ministries and departments to prepare to recruit information officers ahead of the proposed Access to Information Bill.
By Cyprian Musoke
THE Government has directed all ministries and departments to prepare to recruit information officers ahead of the proposed Access to Information Bill.
State minister for information Nsaba Buturo said the officers would be charged with releasing information to the public, upon request, under the new law.
He was addressing a workshop organised by the Uganda Parliamentary Press Association (UPPA) on the proposed law at Colline Hotel in Mukono recently.
“In the course of availing this information, there might be constraints. I have asked all ministries and departments to recruit information officers, who will not create obstacles to this access,†Buturo said.
He said all ministries without information officers should budget and prepare to recruit because it would be a legal requirement.
Section 10 of the Bill provides that each public body should designate an information officer and deputy information officers as are necessary, to render the public body as accessible as reasonably possible for persons of its records.
UPPA members had expressed concern over unprofessional officers already in some ministries who were using the old system of secrecy.
THE Government has directed all ministries and departments to prepare to recruit information officers ahead of the proposed Access to Information Bill.
State minister for information Nsaba Buturo said the officers would be charged with releasing information to the public, upon request, under the new law.
He was addressing a workshop organised by the Uganda Parliamentary Press Association (UPPA) on the proposed law at Colline Hotel in Mukono recently.
“In the course of availing this information, there might be constraints. I have asked all ministries and departments to recruit information officers, who will not create obstacles to this access,†Buturo said.
He said all ministries without information officers should budget and prepare to recruit because it would be a legal requirement.
Section 10 of the Bill provides that each public body should designate an information officer and deputy information officers as are necessary, to render the public body as accessible as reasonably possible for persons of its records.
UPPA members had expressed concern over unprofessional officers already in some ministries who were using the old system of secrecy.