Ghana loses over US$3bn annually to corruption — NCCE

Ghana loses more than US$3 billion every year through corruption, the Deputy Chairman in charge of Operations at the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Samuel Asare Akuamoah, has disclosed.

He said the enormous resources lost through corrupt practices could instead be channelled into infrastructure development, job creation and essential public services, particularly at a time when demand for development remains high.

Mr Akuamoah made the disclosure during his opening remarks at a Youth Leaders Empowerment Dialogue on Civic Engagements on the Rule of Law and the Fight Against Corruption held in Accra.

Mr Akuamoah said the scale of Ghana's financial losses to corruption should motivate citizens, particularly young people, to take a more active role in the fight against corruption.

He stressed that combating corruption should not be regarded solely as the responsibility of state institutions.

According to him, young people have an important role to play in demanding accountability, protecting public resources and promoting a culture of integrity.

He challenged youth leaders to transform civic education into concrete action, warning against treating anti-corruption programmes as ceremonial events where participants listen to speeches without taking steps to influence governance.

Mr Akuamoah urged young leaders to become advocates for accountability, transparency and the rule of law, saying their active participation would be critical to changing Ghana's governance culture.

The Executive Director of Transparency International Ghana, Mary Addah, also called on young people to take the lead in efforts to combat corruption.

She warned that Ghana could not afford to become resigned to corruption, cynicism and impunity.

Mrs Addah expressed concern about Ghana's relatively stagnant performance on the Corruption Perceptions Index between 2020 and 2024, describing the trend as an indication that the country was not making sufficient progress in addressing corruption.

She noted that Ghana had a strong constitutional and institutional framework for promoting rule of law, transparency, accountability and integrity.

The challenge, she said, was ensuring that these principles were translated into everyday conduct.

Mrs Addah stressed that the rule of law was not simply about having laws on the books.

She explained that it also required power to be exercised within clearly defined limits and public officials to be subjected to appropriate accountability mechanisms.

According to her, public officers entrusted with state power must remain transparent and accountable to citizens.

She emphasised that holding public office was a responsibility to the people and should not be treated as an opportunity to pursue personal interests.

Mrs Addah further urged young people to embrace selflessness, integrity and responsibility, stressing that doing the right thing should not depend on whether an individual was being watched.

Participants and panelists at the dialogue urged young people to move beyond attending civic education programmes and become active participants in promoting accountability.

They encouraged the youth to use social media, community engagements and civic education clubs to disseminate accurate information, demand transparency and engage public officials on issues affecting their communities.

They also stressed the importance of young people understanding key areas of public governance, including:

• The 1992 Constitution;
• Public procurement processes;
• The national budget;
• Public financial management;
• The Right to Information Act; and
• Citizens' rights and responsibilities.

The panelists maintained that the fight against corruption could not be left to state institutions alone.

They said citizens, particularly young people who constitute a significant part of Ghana's population, must actively participate in protecting the public purse and demanding accountability from those entrusted with public resources.

The dialogue highlighted the need for Ghana to strengthen civic participation as part of broader efforts to address corruption and improve governance.

The speakers argued that effective anti-corruption efforts require not only strong laws and institutions but also citizens who understand their rights, responsibilities and the mechanisms available to them to demand accountability.

For the youth, they said, civic engagement should extend beyond awareness campaigns to active participation in community and national governance.