{
  "id": 18288482,
  "title": "MoFA's silence on RTI request over Juaboso and Dadieso warehouses raises accountability concerns",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/05/mofas-silence-on-rti-request-over-juaboso-and-dadieso-warehouses",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-05T10:32:49.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "3News",
    "slug": "3news",
    "url": "https://3news.com/news/mofas-silence-on-rti-request-over-juaboso-and-dadieso-warehouses-raises-accountability-concerns"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has not responded to a Right to Information (RTI) request regarding two agricultural warehouses in Juaboso and Suaman Dadieso, Western North Region. Despite multiple attempts, including an initial application, a follow-up letter, and a complaint to the RTI Commission, the Ministry has remained silent. The request was submitted on September 11, 2026, and sought information such as contractor names, contract amounts, funding sources, project timelines, and maintenance arrangements. Under the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989), public institutions must respond within 14 days of an application, but this deadline has passed. A follow-up letter on October 8 also went unanswered, and a formal complaint to the RTI Commission on October 19 has not been addressed. The Commission has not provided a substantive response to the complaint either. The delay in response is beyond the statutory timeline, even with permissible extensions. The Act requires public institutions to provide reasons for declining a request, but MoFA's silence leaves the applicant and the public without any explanation or basis for appeal. The warehouses were meant to enhance storage capacity and reduce post-harvest losses for farmers, but the lack of transparency makes it difficult to determine if public funds were used appropriately or if the projects met specifications. The delay also raises concerns about the effectiveness of the RTI enforcement mechanism, as prolonged inaction by both the Ministry and the Commission could undermine public confidence in the law's promise of timely access to information. Farmers in Juaboso and Dadieso are particularly affected, as reliable storage impacts their earnings from harvests. They have a right to know if public investments intended for them are being utilized effectively. The law sets clear timelines and gives applicants the right to seek a review if information is delayed or refused. Public institutions are legally obligated to comply with these timelines. Connect FM has sought comment from MoFA and the RTI Commission, and the story will be updated upon their response.",
  "summary": "The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has failed to respond to a Right to Information (RTI) request for details of two agricultural warehouses in Juaboso and Suaman Dadieso in the Western North Region.",
  "key_points": [
    "MoFA silent on RTI request for Juaboso and Dadieso warehouses since September 11, 2026",
    "Delay violates 14-day response deadline under Right to Information Act 2019"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}