By Landing Ceesay
The lawmakers have today approved the Access to Information Bill [ATI] of the country, for the first time in history.
Prior to its approval by the parliament, the Access To Information Bill 2019, now 2021 was first tabled before the parliament in 2019 by the then Minister of Justice Abubacarr Marie Tambadou; but this progress occurred under the current Justice Minister, Dawda A. Jallow.
The bill now awaits the approval of the President Adama Barrow within 30 days for it to become a law or returns it to parliament for reconsideration.
When the bill is signed by President Barrow, it will become the Gambia’s Access To Information Law which would provide the public the right to access information held by public authorities or by persons providing services for them through a formal request.
Thereon, the public would have the right to demand public information such as original or copies of documentary materials such as records, correspondence, fact, opinion, advice, memorandum, data, statistic, book, drawing, plan, map, diagram, photograph, audio or visual record and any other tangible or intangible material, regardless of the form or medium in which it is held, in the possession or under the act.
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