International Youth Day – A call to action against corruption in Ghana

Corruption is a grave issue that continues to undermine the development and prosperity of my beloved country, Ghana. As we observe International Youth Day (August 12), I am reminded of how detrimental corruption is to our society and the urgent need for us, especially the youth, to add our voices, act, and fight corruption with all our might.

It has manifested in various forms, including influence peddling, bribery, embezzlement, and even sextortion. The corruption we face is pervasive and has deeply embedded itself in both the public and private sectors, affecting every facet of our society. As a Ghanaian who is passionate about my country’s progress, I have witnessed firsthand the devastating impact corruption has on individuals, families, and communities.

It is a cancer that steals our future, impoverishes our nation, and creates an environment where only a select few thrive at the expense of the majority. Ghana, despite being a signatory to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), has struggled to make significant progress in combating corruption. The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2023, released by Transparency International, paints a bleak picture for Ghana. Our country scored 43 out of a clean score of 100 and ranked 70th out of 180 countries.

This marks the fourth consecutive year of stagnation in our anti-corruption efforts. The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), the local chapter of Transparency International, attributes this stagnation to the deteriorating justice system, which has reduced the accountability of public officials, allowing corruption to thrive unchecked. Corruption in Ghana takes many forms, as evidenced by the scandals involving high-ranking officials.

For instance, a former Ghana Football Association boss, was involved in a conflict of influence scandal based on the FIFA ruling; a former Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, engaged in influence peddling according to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP); and a former Minister of Sanitation, was embroiled in a scandal where over one million dollars in cash, cedis, and other currencies were discovered in her bedroom as intimated by the OSP, leading to her resignation after public outcry. Furthermore, sextortion cases, such as those involving some lecturers at the University of Ghana, who promised female students’ good grades in exchange for sexual favors, highlight the insidious nature of corruption in our society.

Despite these challenges, there have been some efforts made by the Government of Ghana and the Parliament of Ghana to combat corruption. The establishment of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in 2018 by an act of Parliament is a significant milestone in this fight. The OSP is a specialized autonomous investigative and prosecutorial agency with the mandate to investigate, prosecute, recover assets, and prevent corruption. However, the effectiveness of the OSP has been hindered by various challenges, including inadequate resources, alleged attempts to frustrate the work of the Office by some officers in the judiciary, and alleged political interference.

Civil society organizations, like The Bright Future Alliance, which I founded, are also playing a crucial role in the fight against corruption. The Bright Future Alliance (TBFA) is a youth-led organization dedicated to advocating for good governance, combating economic crime, and empowering young people across Africa. In February 2024, I once joined the OSP on a nationwide sensitization exercise for students in second-cycle educational institutions across Ghana to see and understand firsthand the kind of work the Office is doing. This initiative, under the Youth Against Corruption (YAC) program of the OSP, aims to educate and empower young people to take an active role in combating corruption. In June last year, at the invitation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) through its Global Resource on Anti-Corruption Education and Youth Empowerment (GRACE) initiative, I, along with other African youth, significantly contributed to drafting youth-focused recommendations during the UNODC African Regional Dialogue, which brought together young people, academia, and Civil Society Organizations.

Bright Ofori

We developed the roadmap to strengthening the role of non-governmental actors (young people, academia, and civil society) in the fight against corruption, which was submitted by the Government of the United States of America in December 2023, during the Tenth Session of the Conference of the States Parties (CoSP10) to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) and marked the 20th Anniversary of UNCAC in Atlanta, USA. Corruption affects me, my family, my community, and future generations in profound ways. It robs us of opportunities, stifles economic growth, and perpetuates poverty.

The jobs and opportunities that should be available are often stolen away through corrupt practices. Corruption enriches a few individuals, mostly public servants and officials, at the expense of the entire population. It is heartbreaking to see students still schooling under trees, roads and healthcare facilities in deplorable conditions, and businesses collapsing due to the lack of proper governance and support. Ghana loses close to $3 billion annually to corruption, according to the Ghana Integrity Initiative.

This money could be invested in various sectors of the economy, helping to stabilize our inflation, cedi depreciation, and exchange rate fluctuations. Over the span of 10 years, we lost about $30 billion to corruption—money that could solve many of our country’s problems without the need for loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) or the World Bank. As of July 2024, every Ghanaian owes GH¢24,000 of the GH¢724 billion public debt, as announced by the Finance Minister.

This staggering figure highlights how deeply corruption affects us all. It is not just a statistic; it is a reflection of the opportunities, resources, and future that have been stolen from us. Corruption is a thief that steals our happiness, our dreams, and our future. In my advocacy work, I have seen the power of raising awareness and engaging in meaningful conversations about corruption. On 4th November 2022, I used social media, specifically Twitter (now X), to create awareness about corruption in Ghana. I initiated a discussion about how officers at the passport office were extorting money from Ghanaians by deliberately delaying the application process.

This conversation gained traction and impressions of over 218,000 Twitter users, with many people sharing their experiences and testimonies. Eventually, this caught the attention of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who took action to clean up the passport application system months after. Today, we have a more efficient and somewhat stress-free process, which I believe was a direct result of the awareness we created. Furthermore, individuals like Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, investigative journalists Manasseh Azure Awuni, and Anas Aremeyaw Anas have been instrumental in the fight against corruption. Hon. Ablakwa, through his tireless efforts, has saved Ghana over $1.2 billion through various interventions (numbering 31) that exposed corruption and prevented the misuse of public funds. His dedication to holding public officials accountable has been a beacon of hope for many Ghanaians who are tired of the rampant corruption. Manasseh Azure and Anas Aremeyaw Anas have also made significant contributions by exposing corruption through investigative journalism. Their works, such as the SML Scandal and Number 12 exposé, have shed light on many corrupt practices that would have otherwise gone unnoticed. By bringing these issues to the forefront, they have empowered citizens to demand better governance and accountability. Another initiative that deserves recognition is the Youth Against Corruption (YAC) campaign by the Office of the Special Prosecutor.

I had the opportunity to meet with the team in charge and contribute my insights as a youth advocate to the design of the module in November last year. This program focuses on empowering young people aged 18 to 40 to become active agents of change in the fight against corruption. Through nationwide sensitization efforts in secondary and tertiary institutions, the OSP is shaping the next generation of leaders to be advocates for transparency and integrity. The YAC curriculum, which is to be developed in collaboration with various education stakeholders, is expected to be integrated into academic programs, and Youth Against Corruption clubs are expected to be established in institutions across the country.

This initiative aligns with the principles of the UNCAC, which emphasizes the importance of involving youth in fostering integrity and accountability. Corruption is a cancer that eats away at the fabric of our society. It steals our future, impoverishes our nation, and creates an environment where only a few thrive at the expense of the majority. As Ghanaians—both young and old—we must be committed to the fight against corruption and be determined to make a difference. On this International Youth Day, I remind us all of the gravity of the situation and the need for collective action.

By raising awareness, engaging in meaningful conversations, and empowering young people, we can create a Ghana and a world where integrity, ethics, and transparency are the norms, not the exceptions. But let this be both an appeal and a warning: we must not corrupt ourselves. The future will soon be in our hands, and the responsibility to shape it will fall on us. We must do everything possible to cut off corruption at its roots, lest we allow it to destroy the future we are destined to lead. The fight against corruption is not just a battle for today, it is a battle for the future of our country and the world. Together, we can win this fight. A luta continua, vitória é certa.

The writer, Bright Ofori is a Youth Advocate, Founder and Executive Director, The Bright Future Alliance.