Fight Against Corruption is a Shared Responsibility- Deputy Attorney-General
Story by: Magdalene Duncan
The fight against corruption according to the Deputy Attornery-General of Ghana, is a shared responsibility that, every stakeholders need to be involved.
The Attorney-General Deputy, Hon Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, Deputy Attorney General reiterated that, “It is my responsibility, it is your responsibility, it is our responsibility”.
Stressing that, corruption thrives where the cost associated with it is very low hence every effort must be made to make corruption a high risk activity.”
The Deputy Minister for Attorney-General of Ghana Hon. Alfred Tush-Yeboah made this call at the 20th Anniversary of the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) in Accra under the theme: “20 years of building partnerships in the fight against corruption”.
Fight Against Corruption is a Shared Responsibility- Deputy Attorney-General
The occasion brought together Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), state actors and representatives of state institutions, private sector businesses and members of the media.
Speaking further at the anniversary ceremony, he was of the view that the measure of corruption has always been by perception because “we fall on perception when it comes to persecution of corruption cases”.
Therefore becomes so difficult because people are not ready to volunteer information.
“As an office though we are ready to do our part; we can’t do it when we don’t get the right evidence to back the facts because we have a state interest to prevent corruption, therefore we must reject unnecessary interfering and exploitation of public funds.
Fight Against Corruption is a Shared Responsibility- Deputy Attorney-General
Corruption he emphasized is a cancerous tumor eaten into the civil society, the government alone can not fight it.
He therefore used the occasion to call on all Ghanaians to help in the fight against corruption anD urged all to “ make best use of the GACC facility”.
Welcoming the gathering, Mrs. Beauty Emefa Narteh, Executive Secretary of GACC noted that the organization was founded two decades ago to confront corruption and governance issues with a consented approach from government, civil societies and the private sector.
The GACC was formally certified to start business on 13th March,2001 with a membership strength of 8 but currently have 13 members.
Panelists at the GACC 20th Anniversary Celebration
In his opening remarks read on his behalf by Madam Linda Ofori Kwafo, the Executive Director of Ghana Integrity Initiative, Mr. Richard Quayson, Vice Board Chairman of GACC, who is also the Deputy Commissioner of CHRAJ was of the view that it is a celebration of all the institutional members of the Coalition, namely, The Centre for Democratic Development, CHRAJ, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiatives, Economic and Organized Crime Office,
The rest are the Ghana Audit Service, Ghana Conference of Religion for Peace, Ghana Integrity Initiative, Ghana Journalist Association, Good Governance Africa, NCCE, Private Enterprises Federation, Public Procumbent Authority and the Institute of Economic Affairs.
He congratulated all the institutional members and development partners as well as the media for their support over the years adding that he is certain “we can count on you all for many more years to come”.
Attesting that,”at 20 the GACC is still in its youth but the prevalence and very business of corruption today requires that we put on an older head as a Coalition and operate more innovatively in order to rise up to the challenge.
“We are here to celebrate , but we are also here to cut a new path as far as anti-corruption is concern”, he acknowledged.
Cross Section of stakeholders at GACC 20th Anniversary Celebration
Furthermore indicated that, ” I’m privileged for the information in the corruption perceptive index for 2021, which will be released in January 2022.”
Also speaking on behalf of the UNDP, Mr Edward Ampah Twum, Head of Government Cluster UNDP, commended GACC acknowledging that GACC has being an impressive civil society in Ghana in the last two decades and has made significant contributions in promoting accountability and culture of integrity in the Ghanaian society .
He revealed that globally, every year one billion dollars is paid as bribe while an estimated 2.6 billion dollars are stolen annually through corruption.
“Compare that with the monetary gap form the UN SDG that is estimated ate 2.5 billion dollars per year in developing countries, stressing that corruption is one of the biggest impairment to achieving the UN SDG goals”.
Stressing that “the money we lose in corruption is money that is lost for Development of our society hence we need to double our actions in attempt to achieve the National Anti-corruption Action Plan in Ghana.
Fight Against Corruption is a Shared Responsibility- Deputy Attorney-General
Therefore called on all to accelerate efforts towards the achievement of the SDGs by promoting a state of accountability public trust and integrity for development to tribe in Ghana and beyond “.
The panel discussion session on the subject; 20 years of building partnership in the fight against corruption- Reflections on the journey so far, aspirations for the future, gave an opportunity for stake holders and participants to air their views on the subject of corruption.
It panel discussion which was ablely moderated by Ms. Shamima Muslim saw Prof. Emmanuel Gyimah-Boadi, former CEO Afrobarometer, and former Executive Director CDD Ghana, Mrs Yvonne Atakora Obuabisa as panelists.
The rest where Director of Public Prosecution, MoJAGD, Rev. Dr Fred Deegbe, Senior Pastor Calvary Baptist Church & Former Board Chair of GACC, Mr Kwasi Abeasi, former Board Chairman, Ghana Investment and Promotion Center (GIPC), and Dr Jemima Nunoo, Lecturer, Ethics and Leadership GIMPA Business School.
On the way forward, Mr Kwasi Abeasi disclosed that what drives bribery and corruption is that, we are made to believe that with money you can go any where and the old adage that a good name is better than riches no longer exists.”
This he believes calls for education and sensitization of our people that money is not everything.
On the stand of the media in fighting corruption, Mr Afful Monney, President of the GJA assured the gathering that in spite of the risks involved in the fight, the media is un-intimidated and unafraid to continue fighting corruption.
In her closing remarks, and on the way forward, Madam Linda Ofori Kwafo stressed on the need for a national conversation to address corruption.
Cross Section of stakeholders at GACC 20th Anniversary Celebration
Revealing that in January, 2022, the GACC will have a national stakeholders forum as part of its initiative and launch of its accelerated index in the year 2022. She further agreed that we need more education .
Therefore tasked GACC to take up the challenge adding we need innovation and to build capacity for the near future as far as anti- corruption is concern.
Source: www.thenewindependentonline.com
