Stakeholders in Koforidua have stressed the need for stronger multi-sectoral systems and tougher institutional measures to tackle the country’s growing corruption menace.
It is estimated that Ghana loses approximately US$3billion annually to corruption, depriving the nation critical resources required for development.
Speaking at a Civic Engagement on Rule of Law and the Fight Against Corruption organized by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in New Juaben North, participants fiercely argued that corruption has become so pervasive that it cannot be addressed through mere public awareness campaigns or talk shops. Instead, they called for robust institutional approaches, punitive regimes, and enhanced accountability mechanisms.
Stakeholders warned that corruption thrives where laws are weakly enforced, accountability is limited, and citizens are uninformed about their rights.
Kofi Takyi, a Lecturer at SDA College of Education who was a participant for instance stated:
“Let’s build systems, structures, let’s put structures in place which will prevent people from committing crime. I mean that is it. If you say that we are spending all the energy on ‘do the right thing, do the right thing’, believe you me, no one will do. Just a few will do that. But I don’t think we can just depend on the very few that will do the right thing. Let’s make sure that systems will prevent us from doing the wrong thing.”
Some Senior High School students who participated in the program were concerned about corruption in the education sector fueling examination malpractices and cancellation of Examination papers.
They called for multi sectoral approach to deal with it once and for all to protect the integrity of education in the country.
The program brought together students, artisans, traders, apprentices, unemployed youth, and other groups within the informal sector, who often interact with public systems and officials.
NCCE noted that limited access to civic education leaves such groups vulnerable to corrupt practices and largely unaware of legal protections and accountability structures.
Transparency International defines corruption as the abuse of entrusted power for private gain, often manifesting in Ghana as bribery, nepotism, facilitation payments, conflict of interest, and embezzlement.
The Civic Engagements on the Rule of Law and the Fight Against Corruption, a project by NCCE, in partnership with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and co-funded by the European Union, is being implemented through strategic anti-corruption campaign.
The New Juaben North Municipal Director of NCCE Ebenezer Acheampong, told the Starr FM that, the initiative seeks to equip out-of-school youth in particular with practical knowledge on the Rule of Law, civic rights, the Whistleblower Act, and their role in promoting integrity and accountability through various facilitators.
He agreed that effective anti-corruption governance systems are required to fight corruption, however, the mindset of the people who run the institutions must changed.
“I think that it’s a good call from some of the participants that we need systems in place to help in minimizing, minimize. I know it would be very difficult to eradicate corruption, but at least to minimize corruption to a very large extent.”
He added, “Once we have these systems in place, we’ll be able to address it. But again, in calling for systems in place, there are human beings who control these systems. So fundamentally, we ourselves, we need to make sure that we conscientize ourselves and we do the right thing. So that once these systems are in place, we do not pollute it or we do not commit, we do not still go ahead in destroying these systems in place”.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
