Ghana has made efforts to address corruption through various measures, institutions, and legal frameworks.
For decades, the fight against corruption in Ghana has involved preventive and punitive measures, aiming to create a culture of transparency, accountability, and good governance.
For instance, Ghana has established legal frameworks and institutions to combat corruption. The key legislation includes the Criminal Offenses Act, Public Procurement Act, Whistleblower Act, and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) Act among others. All these laws provide a basis for investigating and prosecuting corruption-related offences.
There are also several independent anti-corruption agencies which have been set up by the 1992 Constitution and other legislations including, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the Auditor-General, the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) and the Office of the Special Prosecutor to investigate and prosecute corruption cases.
However, while Ghana has taken significant steps in the fight against corruption, the incidence of corruption persists widely both in public and private offices in the country.
For instance, Ghana received a score of 43 and was placed 72 out of 180 nations in the most recent 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index published by Transparency International.
On a scale from 0 to 100, the Corruption Perceptions Index is based: a score above 50 indicates minimal levels of public sector corruption, whereas any number below 50 indicates high levels of corruption.
Again, the recent report of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament revealed that the total irregularities among state institutions increased from GHS 12,856,172,626 in the year 2020 to GHS 17,483,483,539.25 in 2021, representing an increase of 36.0% from the 2020 irregularities uncovered.
Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, a prominent statesman and founding member of the New Patriotic Party has recommended that whoever is elected into office on December 7 2024 must investigate every appointee under President Akufo-Addo-led administration.
Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe reacting to concerns raised by the former Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Dr Kwadwo Afari Gyan on the severe impact of vote-buying on Ghana’s democracy, strongly stated that the winner of the 2024 presidential election must form a commission of enquiry to look into allegations of corruption against the current government officials.
“Whoever takes over this country next year, must set up a commission of inquiry to investigate into anyone who has been in public service, particularly those in government. Because a lot of the things that they have done are known to the people. After all, the buildings that they have put up in Peduase and all the places you can imagine, are built by human beings. So, they shouldn’t think they are not known, they are known”.
Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe
Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe further expressed deep concerns of how corruption has become very pervasive in Ghana and predicted that if care is not taken the office of a Member of Parliament will eventually be auctioned to the highest bidder.
According to him, such situation if not checked would also lead to ‘incompetent people’ getting to occupy sensitive public office like Members of Parliament.
It is worthy to state that the decision to set up a commission of inquiry to investigate former government officials alleged to be involved in corruption is a complex and context-dependent matter.
While such a decision could be helpful to the country’s fight against corruption including preventing the culture of impunity, there is also a risk that the establishment of a commission of inquiry may be driven by political motivations rather than a genuine commitment to addressing corruption in the country.
It is therefore important that if the decision is pursued in the future, it should be done with a commitment to fairness, transparency, and adherence to the rule of law.
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