Empowering Media to Tackle Corruption: GII Calls for Transparency to Strengthen Accountability in Ghana

 


Mrs. Mary Addah, Executive Director of the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), has emphasized that citizens' ability to hold public officials accountable is severely compromised when they lack access to vital information. She made this statement during her welcome remarks at a capacity development workshop for media on governance and anti-corruption reforms held in Accra.


The workshop, organized by the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), and the African Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), aimed to strengthen the role of the media in promoting good governance and accountability in Ghana.


Mrs. Addah stressed the critical role the media plays in ensuring transparency and accountability. She also noted that corruption continues to erode the country's development, and it is essential to adopt new strategies to combat it. "It is time to depart from the top-down approach to fighting corruption and instead build the capacity of citizens to understand the devastating effects of corruption," she stated.


The project, which the workshop was part of, addresses key challenges such as public sector corruption, a lack of transparency in public procurement, and weak citizen participation. These issues, Mrs. Addah noted, are hindering Ghana’s progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 16, which focuses on inclusive governance and strong institutions.


She further highlighted the need for increased media attention on governance gaps, including public budget transparency and service delivery. Referencing a 2024 study on Ghana’s public debt crisis, Mrs. Addah linked its causes to governance failings and corruption.


The event, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), aimed to enhance journalists' understanding of governance and anti-corruption reforms under the project titled “An Anti-Corruption Initiative for Enhancing Governance and Accountability.”


Mrs. Addah also spoke about governance challenges, such as the lack of transparency in public procurement processes, which continue to erode public trust in institutions. A participant at the workshop expressed his appreciation, stating, "I have learned a lot, especially about how to report on corruption issues in the country."


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