By Alhassan Osman
Tamale, Aug. 18, GNA –Madam Mary Awelena Addah, Executive Director of Transparency International Ghana (TI Ghana), has called on Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), trade unions, and pressure groups to unite in efforts to combat corruption and strengthen Ghana’s governance systems.
She said the anti-corruption drive has so far remained confined to a small group, mainly CSOs and a few other actors, whose efforts had not been citizen-driven sufficiently to achieve the desired impact.
“The need for broader stakeholders and citizens’ engagement to scale up advocacy, hold leaders accountable, and ensure that anti-corruption efforts are inclusive and sustainable is very crucial,” Madam Addah stated.
She was speaking at an anti-corruption initiative for enhancing governance and accountability workshop in Tamale, organized by TI Ghana, the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), and the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), with support from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
Madam Addah stressed the importance of sustaining consistent pressure on governments to address corruption, warning that past administrations had often slowed their anti-corruption efforts after assuming office.
“We must ensure that the fight against corruption does not slow down once new governments are sworn in,” she added.
The initiative aims to engage stakeholders across the Northern, Middle Belt, and Coastal regions to advocate reforms in anti-corruption laws and institutional frameworks.
It also seeks to build a critical mass to strengthen Ghana’s integrity systems, scale up nationwide advocacy campaigns, create inclusive spaces for dialogue, and encourage citizens to pledge their commitment to transparency through the Pledge Against Corruption (PAC).
Mrs Beauty Emefa Narteh, Executive Secretary of GACC, said tackling corruption was critical to Ghana’s economic recovery, particularly under the current International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, adding that without strong governance, the benefits of such interventions could be undermined.
“Corruption drains the very resources that could help us meet our commitments under the IMF programme and drive national development. This is why every citizen, from policymakers to the grassroots, must play an active role in fighting it,” she said.
Mrs Narteh urged Ghanaians to make the fight against corruption both a collective and personal duty, and to uphold integrity in their daily activities.
Mr Mahama Adam, a representative of the Sagnarigu Traditional Area, commended TI Ghana and partners for the initiative and called on government and other law enforcement agencies to prioritise enforcing policies and programmes that would ensure that corruption was minimized in the country.
GNA
Edited by Eric K. Amoh/Christian Akorlie