Political corruption in Ghana has been common since
independence
Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...
. Since 2006,
Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
's score and ranking on the
Transparency International
Transparency International e.V. (TI) is a German registered association founded in 1993 by former employees of the World Bank. Based in Berlin, its nonprofit and non-governmental purpose is to take action to combat global corruption with civil ...
Corruption Perceptions Index
The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) is an index which ranks countries "by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, as determined by expert assessments and opinion surveys." The CPI generally defines corruption as an "abuse of entru ...
has improved slightly, ranked higher than
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
and
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
.
[ However, there is a growing perception in Ghana that government-related corruption is on the rise.][ Ghana ranked 73rd on the Corruption Perceptions Index in 2021, tied with ]Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...
, Kuwait
Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the nort ...
, Senegal
Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...
and the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and north-west of Vanuatu. It has a land area of , and a population of approx. 700,000. Its capita ...
. Even though corruption in Ghana is relatively low when compared to other countries in Africa, businesses frequently quote corruption as an obstacle for doing business in the country. Corruption occurs often in locally funded contracts, companies are subject to bribes when operating in rural areas.
In a 1975 book, Victor T. Le Vine wrote that bribery
Bribery is the Offer and acceptance, offering, Gift, giving, Offer and acceptance, receiving, or Solicitation, soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official, or other person, in charge of a public or legal duty. With reg ...
, theft
Theft is the act of taking another person's property or services without that person's permission or consent with the intent to deprive the rightful owner of it. The word ''theft'' is also used as a synonym or informal shorthand term for some ...
and embezzlement
Embezzlement is a crime that consists of withholding assets for the purpose of conversion of such assets, by one or more persons to whom the assets were entrusted, either to be held or to be used for specific purposes. Embezzlement is a type ...
arose from reversion to a traditional winner-takes-all attitude in which power and family relationships prevailed over the rule of law. Corruption in Ghana is comparatively less prevalent than in other countries in the region.[2009 Investment Climate Statement: Ghana]
Bureau of Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs
The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs (EB) is a bureau of the U.S. Department of State charged with promoting economic security and prosperity at home and abroad. It reports to the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and t ...
, U.S. Department of State
The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government responsible for the country's fore ...
(February 2009).
Ghana is not a signatory to the OECD
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD; french: Organisation de coopération et de développement économiques, ''OCDE'') is an intergovernmental organisation with 38 member countries, founded in 1961 to stimulate e ...
Convention on Combating Bribery. It has, however, taken steps to amend laws on public financial administration and public procurement
Government procurement or public procurement is the procurement of goods, services and works on behalf of a public authority, such as a government agency. Amounting to 12 percent of global GDP in 2018, government procurement accounts for a subst ...
. The public procurement law, passed in January 2004, seeks to harmonize the many public procurement guidelines used in the country and also to bring public procurement into conformity with World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an intergovernmental organization that regulates and facilitates international trade. With effective cooperation
in the United Nations System, governments use the organization to establish, revise, and e ...
standards. The new law aims to improve accountability, value for money, transparency and efficiency in the use of public resources.[
However, some in civil society have criticized the law as inadequate. The government, in conjunction with civil society representatives, is drafting a Freedom of Information bill, which will allow greater access to public information. Notwithstanding the new procurement law, companies cannot expect complete transparency in locally funded contracts. There continue to be allegations of corruption in the tender process and the government has in the past set aside international tender awards in the name of national interest.][
Businesses report being asked for "favours" from contacts in Ghana, in return for facilitating business transactions. The Government of Ghana has publicly committed to ensuring that government officials do not use their positions to enrich themselves. Official salaries, however, are modest, especially for low-level government employees, and such employees have been known to ask for a "dash" (tip) in return for assisting with licence and permit applications.][
]
Areas of Corruption
Parliament
Member of parliament for the Chiana-Paga constituency, Abuga Pele was convicted in February 2018 and charged with a six-year jail term for wilfully causing a loss of GH¢4.1 million to the state of Ghana. In June 2009, Mubarak Muntaka resigned from his position as Minister of Youth and Sports on the orders of president Mills following investigations into dozens of allegations levelled against him including financial malpractice and abuse of power. Ghana's Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice
The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice(CHRAJ) is an independent governmental organization charged with safeguarding of human rights and investigating human rights abuses in Ghana. It was established in 1993 by Act 456 of the ...
asked Mubarak Muntaka to refund misappropriated funds.
The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice was petitioned by a pressure group in September 2009 to investigate Mahama Ayariga
Mahama Ayariga (born 12 May 1974) is a lawyer and politician in Ghana. He belongs to the National Democratic Congress. He was the Minister of Information and Media Relations and the Minister of Youth and Sports under the John Dramani Mahama admi ...
for acquiring 5 subsidized tractors from the ministry of Agriculture that were meant to support underprivileged farmers in rural communities. Appointments Committee of Parliament initially suspended his approval of becoming a minister pending investigations, that cleared him afterwards. Mahama Ayariga claimed that his application to acquire the tractors "was approved" and he was unaware that there was an "affordable arrangements" scheme associated with purchasing the tractors. The investigation was reopened in July 2017 when a different political party formed a new government.
Medicine
In 2017,the then deputy minister of health, Kingsley Aboagye Gyedu
Kingsley Aboagye Gyedu (born November 29, 1969) is a Ghanaian
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders ...
, asserted that Ghana's health sector had high corruption rates because of its low level of accountability. For example, doctors at the Tamale Teaching hospital plant agents to direct patients from the hospital to their clinics and direct patients to procure drugs and lab tests outside the hospital thus reducing hospital revenue. They go into agreement with these pharmacies and labs so they profit from the referrals. Ghana's health sector was ranked second most corrupt in Africa, with most of the allocated public resources ending up in the pockets of corrupt private individuals.
The worst affected people are the poor individuals who are not sensitised on medical practices in the hospital. Medical practitioners end up selling watered-down medicines and even request bribes to allow patients jump queues. In Koforidua in the eastern region of Ghana, a combined team of US and Ghanaian medical professionals were supposed to undertake the "Operation Walk Syracuse", a surgical procedure for some selected arthritis
Arthritis is a term often used to mean any disorder that affects joints. Symptoms generally include joint pain and stiffness. Other symptoms may include redness, warmth, swelling, and decreased range of motion of the affected joints. In som ...
patients. It was revealed that some of the local professionals in the St. Joseph's hospital had charged from prospective patients sums of money ranging from GHC100.00 to GHC6,000.00 to allow them access the procedure. Meanwhile, this was at the blind side of the US team.
Anti-corruption efforts
The 1992 Constitution provided for the establishment of a Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice
The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice(CHRAJ) is an independent governmental organization charged with safeguarding of human rights and investigating human rights abuses in Ghana. It was established in 1993 by Act 456 of the ...
(CHRAJ). Among other things, the Commission is charged with investigating all instances of alleged and suspected corruption and the misappropriation of public funds by officials. The Commission is also authorized to take appropriate steps, including providing reports to the Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general.
In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...
and the Auditor-General, in response to such investigations. The Commission has a mandate to prosecute alleged offenders when there is sufficient evidence to initiate legal actions. The Commission, however, is under-resourced and few prosecutions have been made since its inception.[
In 1998, the Government of Ghana also established an anti-corruption institution, called the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), to investigate corrupt practices involving both private and public institutions. A law to revise the SFO law is being drafted and it is expected to define more clearly treatment of the proceeds from criminal activities. The government also announced plans to streamline the roles of the CHRAJ and SFO, in order to remove duplication of efforts. The government passed a “Whistle Blower” law in July 2006, intended to encourage Ghanaian citizens to volunteer information on corrupt practices to appropriate government agencies. In December 2006, CHRAJ issued guidelines on conflict of interest to public sector workers. As of February 2009, a Freedom of Information bill was still pending in Parliament.][
During the Anti-Corruption Summit in London on May 12, Ghana urged its delegates to sign these eight steps in hope of decreasing corruption:
1. The public should know who owns and profits from companies, trusts and other legal entities.
2. We need tighter rules to stop corrupt money being spent on property and luxury goods.
3. Banks and businesses should be required to find out who they're dealing with, and report it if they come across shell companies or dodgy practices.
4. Companies buying oil, gas and minerals, and those in the defence and construction sectors must make details of their payments to any government, on any project, available to the public.
5. Companies should reveal how much tax they pay in every country they do business in.
6. All government contracting processes around the world should be open.
7. All government budgets around the world should be available for anyone to view.
8. Corruption hunters should have access to timely, comparable and relevant open data on the issues above as well as the technology that will allow them to work effectively.]
On 7 February 2012, it was reported that four prominent supporters of Ghana’s ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) had been arrested and charged with corruption in an Accra court. Alfred Agbesi Woyome
Alfred Agbesi Woyome (born January 22, 1965) is a Ghanaian businessman and a former Honorary Vice Consul of Austria to Ghana and a leading member of the National Democratic Congress.
Education
Woyome is an alumnus of Bishop Herman College i ...
was charged with crimes including corrupting public officials over a multi million-dollar payment that a government inquiry alleged he had claimed illegally. Chief attorney Samuel Nerquaye-Tetteh, his wife and the finance ministry's legal director were also charged with aiding and abetting a crime.
Following the numerous allegations of corruption levelled against some appointees of President John Dramani Mahama
John Dramani Mahama (; born 29 November 1958) is a Ghanaian politician who served as President of Ghana from 24 July 2012 to 7 January 2017. He previously served as Vice President of Ghana from January 2009 to July 2012, and took office as presi ...
, an initiative was taken to help appointees avoid situations that would put them in a seeming situation of conflict of interest, hence guarding corruption. This led to the publication of the code of ethics for government appointees in 2013. Primarily, the code of ethics was to be the go-to document to enable officials know and anticipate any situation that could compromise a public official.
The New Patriotic Party made it a campaign promise to fight corruption in the round up to the 2016 general election; it proposed, among other things, the establishment of the Office of the Special Prosecutor to handle all corruption related matters. Upon assuming governance in 2017, an Act of parliament was passed to create the office. The president sworn into office Martin Amidu as the first person to occupy the office, notwithstanding his affiliation to the opposition NDC.
Activists
Due to high levels of corruption incidences in Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
, some Ghanaians have dedicated time, money and other resources to fight and curb corruption.
# Anas Aremeyaw Anas
Anas Aremeyaw Anas, better known as Anas, is a Ghanaian investigative journalist born in the late 1970s. He utilizes his anonymity as a tool in his investigative journalism work. Anas is a politically non-aligned multimedia journalist who spec ...
- An undercover investigative journalist whose works have led to the arrest and conviction of persons mainly in government, who were found to be engaged in corruption related practices. Ironically, Anas has, in some specific and outed instances, been cited in the very evils he supposedly stands against.
# Martin Amidu
Martin Alamisi Burnes Kaiser Amidu is a Ghanaian politician and lawyer who served as Attorney General of Ghana from 2011 to 2012 and then as the First Special Prosecutor of the country from 2018 until his resignation in 2020, citing political int ...
- Appointed to the Office of the Special Prosecutor by the Akuffo Addo government although he associates with the opposition National Democratic Congress, Amidu was a former deputy attorney general who was removed by the Atta Mills government for his perceived accusation of members of his own party on corruption charges. Unfortunately for Martin Amidu and the millions of Ghanaians who had put their hopes in him, little or nothing significant has come out after his appointment.
# Nana Akwasi Awuah
# Bright Simmons
# Manasseh Azure
Manasseh Azure Awuni, is Ghanaian investigative journalist and the Editor-in-Chief of The Fourth Estate. He previously worked with Multimedia Group Limited in Accra, Ghana.
His investigative and anti-corruption reports have caused national upr ...
# Emmanuel Wilson Jnr. The Chief Crusader- Crusaders Against Corruption, Ghana.
# Elizabeth Ohene Elizabeth Akua Ohene (born 24 January 1945) is a Ghanaian journalist and a politician. She served as Minister of State for Tertiary Education in Ghana under President John Kufuor. She had previously served as the Editor of the ''Daily Graphic'', th ...
See also
* Investigative works of Anas Aremeyaw Anas
This is a list of investigative works by Ghanaian undercover journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, sorted from most recent date to least recent.
June 2019: Torture Home
''"Torture Home, when a man of god abuses children"'' is an investigation an Echoi ...
* Crime in Ghana
Crime in Ghana is investigated by the Ghana Police Service.
Crime by type Murder
Ghana had a murder rate of 1.68 per 100,000 population in 2011.
Corruption
Human trafficking
Ghana is a country of origin, transit, and destination fo ...
References
External links
Ghana Corruption Profile
from the Business Anti-Corruption Portal
The Risk & Compliance Portal (formerly The Business Anti-Corruption Portal) is a powerhouse for business anti-corruption information offering tools on how to alleviate or reduce risks and costs of corruption when doing business abroad. All the inf ...
{{Africa topic, Corruption in
Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
Corruption
Corruption is a form of dishonesty or a criminal offense which is undertaken by a person or an organization which is entrusted in a position of authority, in order to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for one's personal gain. Corruption m ...
Society of Ghana