By Dennis Peprah, GNA
Yawmiri (Bono), Oct. 22, GNA – Mr Raphael Godlove Ahenu, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Global Media Foundation (GloMeF), has urged the public to refrain from defending individuals accused of corruption and other wrongdoing because of political, ethnic, religious or social affiliations.
He described the practice as unfortunate and disturbing, saying that instead of allowing the law to take its course, some people sought to shield offenders simply because they belonged to the same political party, ethnic group, religious faith, or social circle.
Mr Ahenu stressed that the fight against corruption and other social vices must be guided by the national interest rather than partisan considerations.
He made the call at a community forum on corruption held at Yawmiri, a farming community in the Sunyani Municipality.
The forum was organised by the Sunyani Local Accountability Network (LANet), a community-based network comprising civil society organisations, traditional leaders, women and youth groups, persons with disabilities, professional associations, and trade and craft groups.
The anti-corruption advocate and local governance analyst called for the establishment of a strong citizen-led movement to champion the nationwide fight against corruption and promote sustainable development.
He said community-based anti-corruption groups and citizen networks were needed to sensitise the public, monitor the delivery of public services, and encourage the reporting of suspected corruption cases through appropriate channels.
Mr Ahenu noted that such initiatives would help bridge the gap between citizens and formal anti-corruption institutions while strengthening public participation in governance.
He emphasised that corruption must be condemned regardless of the individuals involved, arguing that selective condemnation undermined efforts to build a society founded on integrity, accountability, and transparency.
Mr Ahenu said the nation required a strong citizen-led movement devoid of partisanship to promote accountability, transparency and responsible leadership.
He said the fight against corruption should not be left solely in the hands of government institutions, anti-corruption agencies and civil society organisations, stressing that citizens had an important role to play in holding public officials and institutions accountable.
Mr Ahenu explained that the forum formed part of activities under the implementation of the Strengthening Accountability, Rule of Law, and Institutional Responsiveness in Ghana Project, funded by the European Union.
The project is being implemented by the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) in consortium with the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) and Transparency International Ghana (TI-Ghana).
Mr Ahenu urged citizens to move beyond merely complaining about corruption and take practical steps to demand accountability from duty bearers and public officials.
He described corruption as a major setback to national development and said tackling the menace required a collective national effort.
He further urged citizens to recognise their rights, influence public accountability processes, and demand explanations from public officials regarding the management of national resources.
“It is worrying that citizens are often quick to express frustration over corruption but don’t translate their concerns into organised and sustained action to address the menace”, he stated.Â
GNAÂ
Edited by Lydia Kukua Asamoah Â
Reporter: Dennis PeprahÂ
[email protected]Â