By Maxwell Awumah
Kadjebi (O/R), Aug. 30, GNA-Mr. Daniel Agbesi Latsu, Kadjebi District Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has appealed to the youth to mainstream the fight against corruption like a contest with a wild virus or infection.
“You better fight against it or be consumed by it,” he added, urging the youth to play active roles in combating corruption in all its forms for the benefit of society.
Describing corruption as “an insidious plague” with damaging effects on national development, Mr. Latsu emphasised that it has remained a major impediment to Ghana’s socio-economic and political progress since independence.
He made these remarks during a Town Hall Civic Engagement for Out-of-School Youth Groups on the Rule of Law and the Fight Against Corruption, held in Kadjebi in the Oti Region.
The event was part of a broader project titled “Civic Engagements on the Rule of Law and the Fight Against Corruption”, supported by the GIZ and the European Union (EU).
Mr. Latsu noted that the initiative aims to empower young people with knowledge of civic rights, the Rule of Law, and legal instruments such as the Whistleblower Act. He stressed the importance of civic education in reducing youth vulnerability to corrupt practices and called for increased awareness creation.
He urged the youth to resist, reject, and report all forms of corruption to the appropriate authorities for investigation and prosecution.
Also speaking at the event, Mr. Eric Arthur Fynn, Kadjebi District Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), implored participants to steer clear of corruption, highlighting how it drains national resources and deprives the poor and vulnerable.
In his presentation on “Understanding Corruption and Its Forms,” Mr. Fynn identified bribery, fraud, nepotism, extortion, embezzlement, patronage and favouritism as common forms of corruption.
He emphasised that corruption is a human rights issue that affects both lives and property, urging it to be nipped in the bud.
Superintendent Frank Nana Asomaning, the Kadjebi District Police Commander, also addressed the youth on the importance of sharing information with security agencies to help combat crime.
Speaking on “Reporting Wrongdoing – Channels, Protections, and the Role of Law Enforcement Agencies,” he encouraged participants to “See Something, Say Something,” and maintain confidentiality when reporting cases.
Mr. Richard Dake, Secretary of the Local Accountability Network (LANet), challenged the youth to lead by example by rejecting bribery and dishonesty. Citing key legislation including the Whistleblower Act, 2006 (Act 720), the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s Act, 2017 (Act 959), and the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2019 (Act 989), he urged them to report corruption to bodies such as EOCO, CHRAJ, the OSP, and the Police.
Participants of the town hall called for stronger legal frameworks, better protection for whistleblowers, and a “name and shame” strategy for corrupt officials as ways to significantly curb — if not eliminate — corruption in Ghana.
GNA
Edited by Benjamin Mensah