Most Ghanaians Fear Retaliation If They Report Corruption. Full Details..

Ghana’s Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, has expressed doubts about the nation’s readiness to combat corruption.

In a show brimming with full of questions, he asked,

“Are we ready for the fight against corruption?, from where I sit, I don’t think we are.”

“We expect so much from the institutions fighting corruption, but collectively, are we ready?” he quizzed.

Mr. Agyebeng explained that many witnesses to corruption are reluctant to report it, so he is forced to ask this question.

“A good measure of the reason why I say we are not ready yet, is that more than 60% of persons fear retaliation if they report corruption. And it is very dire. Even law enforcement agencies, even the Office of the Special prosecutor, even the Special Prosecutor himself is not spared this specter of push back retaliation and that is why I situate it in the question I asked that, are we ready? Everyone should ask themselves,” he stated.

Nonetheless, he noted however that with the right disposition, Ghana will actually want to carry the canker to an endurable least.

“On the part of anti-corruption institutions, and by this I am referring to the flagship agencies- Office of the Special Prosecutor, CHRAJ, EOCO and other anti-corruption agencies. Are we really doing what the republic has tasked us to do or we are engaging in our own predilections? We have done much in collaboration, in forging ahead together, in fighting corruption, but is there more we can do, I believe we can do more, we can win the fight against corruption. So I charge the anti-corruption agencies, let us do so. Let us not disappoint Ghana,” Mr. Agyebeng said.

Additionally, the special prosecutor asked,

“on the part of the government, is the government ready to fight corruption? I have not seen much commitment. Let us see that commitment, let us see that support to the anti-corruption agencies, but from where I sit, I do not see it.”

Ghana’s development has been hampered by corruption. Although numerous organizations have been established to combat the canker, it persists unabated.

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Mr. Agyebeng also demanded assistance in the fight against corruption from members of the judiciary, the bar, and civil society.

“If we want to fight corruption, we must all get involved” he urged.

He pledged that the OSP will protect all those who provide information on corrupt practices. Mr. Agyebeng noted that if this is done “we can bring corruption down.”

He warned those involved in corruption that they will soon be “found, prosecuted, and jailed.”

Corruption has been a significant issue during the year under the survey, with the Office of the Special Prosecutor driving the battle against it.

In its most recent report for the 2021 fiscal year, which was presented to the parliament of Ghana earlier this year, the Auditor-General identified a total of 17.4 billion in financial irregularities.

This was an increase of 36% as compared to 2020. This was the end reached at by the Inspector General after a review of the records of somewhere around 101 institutions.

Institutions were the subject of same audit reports in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020, which revealed irregularities totaling GH 12 billion, GH 3 billion, GH 5.4 billion, and GH 12.8 billion, respectively.

Some Ghanaians have been complaining about the Office’s slow handling of corruption cases as a result of these and other developments.

The Office, on the other hand, has always maintained that it is focused on fulfilling its mandate.

Credit: MyjoyOnline.com