By Freda Mwini, GNA
Wa, (UW/R), July 18, GNA – The Rural and Urban Women’s Association (RUWA-Ghana) has engaged students of some second cycle institutions in Wa on the need for collective efforts against corruption in Ghana to mark the 2026 African Anti-Corruption Day.
The sensitisation, which was held at the Northern Star International Senior High School and the Wa Technical Institute, reminded the students of the importance of personal integrity and the whistleblowing act in the fight against corruption.
The engagement, held under the theme: “Scaling Up the Promotion of Integrity and Anti-Corruption Actions Across Africa.”
It was organised in partnership with the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) with funding from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
Ms. Amanda W. Tembile, the Gender and Social Inclusion Officer of RUWA Ghana, who facilitated the sessions, educated the students on various forms of corruption, including bribery, fraud, embezzlement, and nepotism.
She used school-based examples to make the concepts relatable to students, explaining that cheating in examinations, altering marks on scripts, and teachers giving undeserved grades to favourite students were all forms of corruption.
She explained that corruption leads to unequal distribution of national resources, and observed that while some schools had adequate facilities and qualified teachers, others were deprived due to corrupt practices.
“Some schools have good teachers that dedicate all their time to students, but there are some places that you don’t see any teacher there.
That is what corruption brings, unequal share of our national resources,, she said.
Ms. Tembile, also the Local Accountability Network (LANet) Coordinator for Wa, also educated the students on whistleblowing and described it as the act of drawing attention to wrongdoing by reporting it to the appropriate authorities.
She encouraged the students to resist corrupt practices in their daily lives and to become champions of integrity in their communities.
The students demonstrated an appreciable understanding of corruption and its manifestations in society, sharing personal experiences and observations during the sensitisation programme.
They identified bribery, abuse of office, inducement and unethical practices among public officials and individuals as some forms of corruption that undermine national development and social justice.
Zakia, a student, described the extortion of money from civilians by some police officers as a major form of bribery and corruption.
She noted that such practices weaken public trust in state institutions and encourage lawlessness.
Swuale, another student participant, expressed concern about the role corruption plays in facilitating the entry and abuse of illegal drugs in the country.
Hilda, a student, recounted: “I was travelling to Kumasi and in the bus there were some Fulbes. When we got to the immigration stop, the immigration officer asked the Fulbes to come down.
After a while, the officer took money from them before permitting them to get into the bus.”
GNA
Edited by Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Freda Mwini