RTI Commission upholds MIIF’s decision to defer publication of 2024 Financial Statements

The Right to Information (RTI) Commission has upheld the decision of the Minerals Income Investment Fund (“MIIF” or “the Fund”) to defer the disclosure of its 2024 financial statements, granting the Fund a statutory period of 90 days to complete the process.

It will be recalled that a former Board Member of the Fund, had petitioned MIIF to publish its 2024 financial report. He further escalated the matter to the RTI Commission, seeking to compel the Fund to disclose the information and sharing it on various print and social media platforms.

However, in a letter dated January 12, 2026, MIIF maintained its stance and informed the Commission that some issues had been identified during the initial audit process of the 2024 financial statements.

The Fund insisted that releasing the report at that stage could result in the dissemination of incomplete, inaccurate, or potentially misleading information to the public.

However, in a response letter addressed to the Fund, the commission stated that: “The Commission has considered the matter and concurs with the Minerals Income Investment Fund’s (MIIF) position that disclosure of the requested information at this stage would be premature and may result in the dissemination of incomplete, inaccurate, or potentially misleading information.”

“Accordingly, the Commission agrees with the decision of MIIF to exercise its right to defer access in accordance with section 22 of the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989).”

Section 22 of the Act permits a public institution to defer access to information where the information is required to be published within 90 days of the request or where it has been prepared for submission but is yet to be finalised or submitted.

The law further requires the institution to notify the applicant of the reasons for the deferment and the likely period within which the information will be made available.

In its determination, the Commission granted MIIF a deferment period of three months. It further indicated that should the Fund fail to furnish the requested information after the expiration of the deferment period, the Commission would take the necessary steps to determine the matter.

While the decision underscores the balance between the public’s right to information, it also explicitly recognises the responsibility of public institutions such as MIIF to ensure that information released into the public domain is accurate, complete, and not misleading, a position MIIF has held in the interest of the public and investors.

MIIF is mandated under the Minerals Income Investment Fund Act, 2018 (Act 978), as amended, to manage and invest Ghana’s mineral royalties in a transparent, accountable, and sustainable manner for the benefit of present and future generations, a position the Fund has not shied away from in the public interest.

The Fund has consistently maintained that it remained committed to transparency and will publish its audited financial statements once all audit processes are duly concluded. This position has, however, not gone down well with the former board member who has rather taken to the tabloids and social media to spread falsehoods on the matter to paint the head of the Fund in bad light.

There have also been numerous misguided social media commentaries, and fabrications in select tabloids deliberately calculated to smear the CEO of MIIF just because she maintained her stance in ensuring accountability and transparency to ensure that what is finally published reflects the actual situation on the ground so that the public and investors are not misinformed.

The Commission, expressed confidence in MIIF’s cooperation and adherence to the timelines outlined in the decision.

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