The chief executive officer of Sustainable Development Focus-Ghana (SUDEF-Ghana), a Sanitation and Christian Civil Society Organisation based in Sunyani, John Baidoo says the fight against corruption is a collective effort that all Ghanaians must help combat.
He spoke in an interview with Asaase News as Ghana joins the world to commemorate International Anti-Corruption Day on Thursday (9 December).
Baidoo said constructive measures by the government to fight corruption like setting up the office of the Special Prosecutor and the Right to Information Law is a step in the right direction.
“There has been a conscious effort by the government to combat corruption in our land, governments effort in the setting up of the office of the special prosecutor is very laudable.
“The appointment of Kissi Agyebeng as the special prosecutor, the passing of the right to information bill can also be mentioned here, we might also indicate here that efforts both by NGOs and civil society organizations including churches to advocate against bribery and corruption have also been laudable, we all need to support the combating of corruption.’’
Baidoo called on the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng to be up and doing to effectively fight corruption which he says remain a threat to Ghana’s economic growth. He said corruption continues to harm efforts to eliminate poverty.
“Corruption continuous to harm the efforts to bring people out of poverty, more than half of our citizens think corruption is getting worse in the country, a call on the Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng to be in full action to help combat permissive corruption which remains an existential threat to the stability and prosperity of our dear republic,’’
According to Baidoo, the poorest people are the biggest victims of the bribery culture than the richest with the COVID-19 pandemic worsening the situation as the response to the virus is creating new opportunities for corrupt acts.
International Anti-Corruption Day is observed annually, on 9 December since the passage of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption on 31 October 2003.
This year’s commemoration is under the theme” Your right, your role: say no to corruption”.
Winifred Lartey
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