Vice President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku- Agyemang, has called for a renewed fight against corruption across Africa, using Ghana’s experience as an example of both early leadership and ongoing challenges.
Speaking on the theme “Revitalising the Anti-Corruption Architecture in Africa: Ghana’s Accountability Journey,” in Accra, she highlighted the urgent need to strengthen institutions, laws, and partnerships to tackle the evolving nature of corruption.
She reminded the continent that it has been two decades since the African Union adopted its anti-corruption convention, and while some progress had been made, corruption had grown more complex.
She noted, Ghana was among the first countries to ratify the convention and submit a baseline report to the African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption (AUABC), showing early commitment to the cause. “Ghana’s fight has been built on solid laws such as the Whistle-blower Act, the Right to Information Act, and the establishment of the Office of the Special Prosecutor.
She said over GH¢5 billion was lost to bribery in one year, adding that the IMF noted that Ghana’s ability to control corruption had declined over the past decade.
To address these issues, she praised President John Dramani Mahama’s leadership and renewed efforts to strengthen accountability.
The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, said his outfit has the mandate to recover and manage the proceeds of corruption and corruption related offences in relation to public officers, politically exposed persons, and persons in the private sector.
He said unexplained portions of the source of income of individuals should be liable to confiscation to help in the detection of fraud and undeclared income for tax purposes. “The Law only catches the small fishes; the big men always walk free”
