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No. 2
Right to Access Information Act
2013
PART 1–PRELIMINARY
Interpretation.
1.
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires–
“Commission” means the Information Commission
established by section 30;
“fees notice” means a notice in writing stating that a
fee of an amount specified in the notice is to be
charged by the public authority for complying with
section 2.
“historical record” means a record which was created
twenty or more years before the coming into
operation of this Act;
“information” includes any material regardless of its
physical form or characteristics, such as a book,
plan, map, drawing, film, microfiche, diagram, pictorial
or graphic work, data, photograph, recording, audio
or video-tape, machine-readable material or any other
information held in electronic form, and also includes
any sample, work, model or copy thereof;
“Minister” means the Minister responsible for
information;
No. 2
Right to Access Information Act
2013
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“private body” means a natural person who carries on
a trade, business or profession, but only in such
capacity or a partnership or juristic person which
carries on a trade, business or profession, but does
not include a public authority;
“public information officer” means a person appointed
under section 28“public authority” includes any body–
Act No. 6
of 1991.
(a) established by or under the Constitution of
Sierra Leone 1991;
(b) established by statute;
(c) which forms part of any level or branch of
Government;
(d) owned, controlled or substantially financed
by funds provided by Government;
(e) carrying out a statutory or public function;
or
(f) a body or organisation that receives monies
on behalf of the people of Sierra Leone;
“publish” means to make available in a form generally
accessible to members of the public and includes
print, broadcast and electronic forms of information
dissemination;
PART II–THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION
“official” means any person employed by a public
authority, whether permanently or temporarily and
whether part-time or full-time, and includes
consultants working directly as individuals for the
authority;
2. (1) Every person has the right to access information held
by or is under the control of a public authority.
“personal information” means information about an
identifiable individual which contains intimate
details in respect of which that individual has a
reasonable expectation of privacy;
(3) Nothing in this Act limits or otherwise restricts the
disclosure of or the right to access, information pursuant to any
other enactment, policy or practice.
(2) Every person has the right to access information held
by or is under the control of a private body where that information is
necessary for the enforcement or protection of any right.
(4) Any person making a request for information to a
public authority shall be entitled–
Access to
information.