Enhancing Civic Engagement in the Fight Against Corruption
Transparency International Ghana (TI-Ghana) recently conducted a day-long capacity-building workshop aimed at empowering Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and media practitioners in the Upper East Region. The event focused on strengthening their roles in combating corruption and promoting transparency within the country.
The training, which was themed “Strengthening the Rule of Law and the Fight Against Corruption in Ghana,” was part of the Participation, Accountability, Integrity for a Resilient Democracy (PAIRed) project. This initiative is supported by the European Union (EU) through GIZ and spans 60 districts across Ghana. The goal of the project is to foster accountability, integrity, and transparency in governance by enhancing collaboration between state and non-state actors at both national and sub-national levels.
Mrs. Mary Awelana Addah, the Executive Director of TI-Ghana, highlighted the importance of the PAIRed project during her address at the event. She explained that the initiative aims to create synergy among anti-corruption institutions and advocacy groups to ensure coordinated action and civic engagement.
“The PAIRed project seeks to coordinate efforts, promote civic reporting platforms, and foster collective action among citizens and institutions to win the war against corruption or at least reduce it to the barest minimum,” she stated.
Mrs. Addah also emphasized that women and other marginalized groups are disproportionately affected by corruption, particularly through forms of sextortion and sexual exploitation. She described sextortion as a form of corruption involving the abuse of power for sexual gain and stressed the need to address this issue openly and seriously as part of the broader anti-corruption discourse.
She noted that while holding leaders and institutions accountable is crucial, it is equally important for citizens to understand that investigations and prosecutions take time and require evidence and due process. “It is wrong to assume that anti-corruption initiatives like the Operation Recover All Loot will achieve results overnight. The fight against corruption requires time, diligence, and coordination,” she said.
Mrs. Addah added, “Our role as citizens and civil society is to remain vigilant and ensure that no case dies off. If we sleep, the politician will also sleep.”
She called for strict enforcement of asset declaration laws, stating, “The appointing authorities must be firm. If any political office holder or bureaucrat fails to declare their assets, they should be sanctioned.”
Mr. Victus Azeem, an Anti-Corruption Advocate and Facilitator at the workshop, pointed out that Ghana has adequate legal frameworks to combat corruption but lacks political will and enforcement mechanisms. “Ghana does not lack laws; we lack enforcement,” he stated. “What we need is not more legislation but commitment from leadership and active follow-up by citizens to ensure that those in authority are held accountable.”
He underscored the crucial role of CSOs and the media in keeping the anti-corruption agenda alive, emphasizing that, “If the media stops talking about corruption and civil society becomes silent, the problem will only get worse.”
Mr. Azeem urged participants to apply the knowledge gained during the workshop to strengthen advocacy, build networks for joint campaigns, and mobilize communities to demand transparency at the local level.
Key Takeaways from the Workshop
- Promoting Collaboration:The PAIRed project emphasizes the need for collaboration between state and non-state actors to enhance transparency and accountability.
- Addressing Sextortion:The workshop highlighted the urgent need to address issues like sextortion, which disproportionately affect women and marginalized groups.
- Enforcement of Laws:While legal frameworks exist, the focus must shift towards enforcing these laws effectively.
- Role of Media and CSOs:The media and civil society organizations play a critical role in maintaining public awareness and pressure on anti-corruption efforts.
- Community Mobilization:Participants were encouraged to mobilize communities and advocate for transparency at the grassroots level.