Regional lead for Africa and the Middle East Government Partnership, Theo Chirivu, has asked the government to incorporate anti-corruption policy to clamp down corruption in Ghana.

According to him, implementing an anti-corruption policy will create an environment in which the canker will be less likely to

proliferate.

Suggesting some of the effective and efficient initiatives suitable to fight corruption in the country, Mr Chirivu noted that instituting an open government regime will nib the menace in the bud.

The concept of open government is promoting citizen-centered governance by increasing civic participation, improving transparency and strengthening accountability.

Civil society working hand in hand with the government , in his view, increases levels of trust and social capital, improves policymaking, and increases oversight of the use of public resources.

He emphasized that “open government partnership is important because it is a way of deterring corruption but it is also important in the sense that it enables citizens to know who is doing business with the government, who is getting contracts for the government especially with political influence that are getting contracts with the government.”

Theo Chirivu also encouraged the government to take prudent measures to improve financial transparency.

In that regard, he stated that revenue leakages in the country can be prevented by ensuring that both private and public institutions disclose data on beneficial owners.

He stated that transparency about beneficial ownership is aimed at preventing owners of companies from operating in secrecy.

This, he says, will prevent many illegalities, such as tax evasion.

“Beneficiary transparency is very important because this is how you are able to find out who is actually doing business with the government, how they are getting contracts and make sure that it limits and reduces the amount of corruption, fraud and illicit financial flaws.”

Corruption in Ghana is touted to have increased over the years.

According to an afrobarometer report undertaken by the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Ghana ranked 73rd on the Corruption Perceptions Index in 2021.

The perceptions of corruption among public officials and public institutions increased in 2022 compared to 2019.

Among key public officials, the police, MPs, judges, magistrates, and tax officials are most widely perceived as corrupt.

The police institution scored 65 per cent, which placed it at the top of the table, while the Presidency followed in second position with 55 per cent.

The most trusted institutions, on the other hand, are the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), religious leaders, and traditional rulers.

Source: The Independent Ghana