A new report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has revealed that men in Ghana have paid more bribes to public officials than women in the period 2019-2020.

The report, titled "Corruption in Ghana, Peoples experiences and views", is based on a nationwide survey of over 12,000 households and 2,400 businesses.

The report aims to provide a comprehensive picture of the extent, nature and impact of corruption in Ghana, as well as the public perception and attitude towards it.

The report found that male public officials were more likely to take or solicit bribes from men than from women.

More than 60 percent of all bribes taken or solicited by male public officials were from men, while less than 40 percent were from women.

By contrast, female public officials were equally likely to take or solicit bribes from both sexes.

The report also highlighted the issue of 'sextortion' or 'body currency', which refers to the demand for sexual favours as a form of corruption.

The report noted that this phenomenon disproportionately affects women, but it is difficult to measure due to its sensitive nature and under-reporting.

The report suggested that some victims may not even consider such demands as acts of corruption, but rather as a normal part of their interaction with public officials.

The report also ranked the regions of Ghana according to the prevalence of direct bribery requests by public officials.

The Oti Region topped the list with 98 percent of such cases, followed by the Upper East Region with 91 percent and the Greater Accra Region with 88 percent. The Western North Region recorded the lowest rate of direct bribery requests with 24.8 percent, followed by the Central Region with 26.5 percent and the Eastern Region with 28.7 percent.

The report is part of UNODC's efforts to support Ghana in implementing the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), which Ghana ratified in 2007.

The report provides recommendations for improving anti-corruption policies and practices, as well as enhancing public awareness and participation in the fight against corruption.

The full report can be accessed here.

GHANA - Corruption Survey R... by The Independent Ghana