Tema, Dec. 7, GNA – Mr Richard Quayson, Deputy Commissioner, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), says corruption is a problem affecting global economies and working against sustainable development.
“Corruption has been identified as a major root cause of poverty, deprivation and underdevelopment.
“In the case of Ghana, the high prevalence of corruption has blighted the hopes of many, given a rise to poor service delivery and lack of access to necessities of life, continues to threaten Ghana’s developmental aspirations,” Mr Quayson said in an interview with the Ghana News Agency.
Mr Quayson was speaking on the 2021 Anti-Corruption and Transparency (ACT) Week and the International Anti–Corruption Day (IACD), which started on December 6th and is expected to end on December 10th, being championed by CHRAJ.
The five-day programme is on the theme: “Building a Culture of Integrity for Generations,” which seeks to raise ‘People of Integrity,’ not only for the current generation of leaders and working for the population but for students, children and future generations.
The CHRAJ Deputy Commissioner noted that as part of global efforts addressing the corruption canker, the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) adopted Resolution 58/4 which designated December 9 to mark IACD to raise awareness of corruption and of the role of UNCAC in combating and preventing it.
He said as a State Party to the UNCAC, Ghana had always joined the international anti-corruption community to observe the IACD, following the ratification of the UNCAC in 2007.
“Ghana’s effort has culminated in the adoption of the week leading to the IACD on December 9th as the Anti-Corruption and Transparency (ACT) Week.”
The Parliament of Ghana in 2014 adopted the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP) as the coordinated anti-corruption policy of Ghana.
The vision of the NACAP is to create “a sustainable democratic Ghanaian society founded on good governance and instilled with high ethics and integrity.”
The mission is “to contextualize and mobilise efforts and resources of stakeholders, including Government, individuals, civil society, private sector and the media, to prevent and fight corruption through the promotion of high ethics and integrity and the vigorous enforcement of applicable laws.”
GNA