By Erica Apeatua Addo
Asankragwa (W/R), Sept. 1, GNA-Several youth groups in the Wassa Amenfi West Municipality have benefited from the National Commission for Civic Education’s (NCCE’s) awareness campaign on the rule of law and corruption prevention.
The NCCE is implementing these targeted educational campaigns for youth groups in partnership with the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur International Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and co-funded by the European Union.
The campaign also formed part of the project “Civic engagement on the rule of law and the fight against corruption,” which aims to empower young people with practical knowledge on the Rule of Law, civic rights, legal frameworks such as the Whistleblowers Act, and their role in promoting transparency, and accountability.
Mr Cornelius Ahiekpor, the Municipal NCCE Director, in an address, explained that the engagement was to help educate the youth groups on their rights and protection under the Whistleblower’s Act, among others.
He appealed to the youth to speak out against wrongdoing in their respective communities to promote accountability, uphold integrity, protect public interest, and encourage transparency.
Superintendent of Police James Mensah Ankan, the Municipal Police Commander, who schooled the participants on corruption said it was the abuse of entrusted power for private gains.
He mentioned bribery, favoritism, facilitation payments, conflicts of interest, fraud, nepotism and kick-backs as some forms of corruptions in Ghana, adding that “I feel very sad when society tag officers from the Ghana Police Service as the most corrupt institution, forgetting the worse things other officers in the public and private sectors are doing”.
Superintendent Ankan explained further that with corruption both the giver and the receiver were all criminals and encouraged the youth to help eliminate such people from the society by reporting them to his office.
Mr Ebenezer Twum Ampofo, the Municipal Director of the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), for his part, educated the participants on their core mandates, and the forms of human rights.
He gave the assurance that his office was fully prepared to investigate any act of corruption, abuse of office and conflicts of interest.
The programme brought joy to the participants who asked many questions and learned from the expects. They expressed gratitude to the NCCE and their sponsors for the engagement and requested for more.
GNA
Edited by Justina Paaga/Christian Akorlie