Corruption is still rife in Ghana – SEND Ghana

SEND-Ghana, a civil society organisation says corruption in Ghana is still rife thus affecting socio-economic development of the country and called on the need for urgent steps to address the canker.

Mr John Nkaw, Northern Region Programmes Manager of SEND-Ghana who made the observation said the country continues to perform poorly in the various anti-corruption surveys conducted by anti-corruption campaigners; this he indicated deepens the perception that corruption is rooted in the society.

Mr Nkaw was addressing a training workshop for citizen groups on anti-corruption in Tamale on Tuesday which was supported by the United State Agency for International Development.

The objective of the workshop was to increase advocacy by civil society for legislative change relating to accountability and increased documentation and exposure of corruption through civil society reporting mechanisms.

The workshop which is part of activities of the Ghana Integrity Initiative’s consortium project aims at building civil society capacities and empower citizens to hold institutions accountable in the execution of their mandate.

Mr Nkaw said due to corruption, many companies and organisations have had to increase the cost of projects and services to make ends meet.

“Many organisations have to pay bribes to get contracts and this increases the cost of the final products and services,” he said.

He said investor confidence has eroded because of the perceived corruption in Ghana stressing that there is the need to tackle corruption effectively in order to build investor confidence to regain the needed economic benefits.

Mr Nantomah Adam Baani, Regional Anti-Corruption Focal Person for the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, expressed concern that due to corruption allegations against the commission, its major donor; DANIDA, has withdrawn its support.

Mr Baani called on the need for the passage of the Information bill to complement the Whistle blowers Act to help fight corruption in the country.

Alhaji Abdul-Razak Saani, Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education, said citizens must be proactive and assist in the fight against corruption stressing that Ghanaians must depoliticise the practice.