Chief of Staff Julius Debrah has charged the newly inaugurated working group responsible for drafting Ghana’s next National Anti-Corruption Strategy to develop a bold, ethical, and results-driven plan that reverses the country’s declining performance on the Corruption Perception Index (CPI).
Speaking at the inauguration of the working group at the Jubilee House, Mr Debrah acknowledged the achievements of the previous National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP), which was passed by Parliament in 2014 under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama. However, he was quick to highlight that despite some progress, corruption in the country has worsened in perception.
“After Ghana’s best performing score of 48% on the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) in 2014, the year NACAP was passed by Parliament, the implementation of NACAP from 2015–2024 has coincided with a downward trending of the country’s CPI score to the current all-time low of 42%,” he noted. “Clearly, one could argue that NACAP has not performed too well when it comes to the actual reduction of corruption in our country, and I am sure the evidence is out there for all Ghanaians to see.”
Charging the working group to produce a strategy that delivers real impact, he said, “We have to reverse this trend, and I charge this group to ensure that the strategy does precisely that. This is consistent with the promise that H.E. the President made to Ghanaians.”
Mr Debrah emphasised that accountability and the fight against corruption are central to President Mahama’s legacy term. “The complexities of corruption that confront us today require a sophisticated approach to combating it,” he said. “This requires the application of technology, outside-the-box thinking, effective legislation, independent anti-corruption institutions, strong political will, and focused leadership.”
He stressed that the new strategy must be different from the previous NACAP: “It is our expectation that the design of the new National Anti-Corruption Strategy should depart somewhat from the assumptions, programmes, and implementation mechanisms of the previous NACAP to enable us achieve meaningful, sustainable results within the shortest possible time.”
He called for a strategy that prioritises moral responsibility as well as legal action. “Ethics must be a key pillar in the development of the next National Anti-Corruption Strategy because corruption is first and foremost a moral issue before legal. The strategy therefore ought to provide a shock therapy to the anti-corruption space to set the anti-corruption fight to a beating, impactful rhythm.”
Mr Debrah announced that the strategy will be coordinated from the Office of the Presidential Advisor on the National Anti-Corruption Programme (PANACP), in collaboration with his office through the Deputy Chief of Staff (Administration). “This will enable the President to track its implementation to ensure that the programme delivers on its mandate,” he explained.
The working group is expected to engage key partners including the Attorney General, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).
Thanking CHRAJ for its role in coordinating NACAP over the past decade, Mr Debrah assured, “The Office of the President will continue to work closely with you in promoting human rights and administrative justice in Ghana and beyond.”
He urged the working group to deliver a draft of the new strategy by 31st August 2025, adding, “Government will make the necessary arrangements to provide resources for the team to deliver on its mandate. However, we also expect prudence from the team as you are all aware of the current financial difficulty facing the country.”
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Rosa Wyettey Cofie
