The Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has called for a renewed and collective effort to combat corruption across the African continent, using Ghana’s experience as a case study of both pioneering action and continuing challenges.
Speaking at an event in Accra on the theme “Revitalising the Anti-Corruption Architecture in Africa: Ghana’s Accountability Journey,” the Vice President underscored the urgent need to strengthen institutions, legal frameworks, and partnerships to keep pace with the evolving and complex nature of corruption.
She reminded the audience that it has been two decades since the African Union adopted its Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption. While progress has been made, she noted, corruption has grown more sophisticated.
Ghana, she pointed out, was among the first countries to ratify the convention and submit a baseline report to the African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption (AUABC), demonstrating early commitment to anti-corruption efforts.
“Ghana’s fight has been anchored in solid legal frameworks such as the Whistleblower Act, the Right to Information Act, and the establishment of the Office of the Special Prosecutor,” she said.
She also highlighted the strategic role of the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP), which ran from 2015 to 2024. A second phase,NACAP II, is currently being developed, drawing on lessons from the past decade.
However, the Vice President acknowledged that despite these foundations, the country has faced significant setbacks.
“Recent reports from Transparency International, the Ibrahim Index, and Ghana’s own Statistical Service reveal disturbing trends,” she stated. “Over GH¢5 billion was lost to bribery in just one year, and the IMF has reported a decline in Ghana’s capacity to control corruption over the past decade.”
She noted that widespread public frustration over weak enforcement and political interference signals an urgent demand for meaningful change.
Commending President John Dramani Mahama for his renewed commitment to accountability, she stressed the importance of leadership in driving reforms.
The Special Prosecutor, Mr. Kissi Agyebeng, elaborated on the challenges facing his office. He noted that although the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) is mandated to recover and manage the proceeds of corruption involving public officers, politically exposed persons, and private individuals, its powers are largely limited to conviction-based procedures.
He added that current constitutional provisions and criminal laws, such as Article 246 (4) and the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29), restrict the anti-corruption fight by focusing primarily on public officials. He argued for broader provisions that would allow for the confiscation of unexplained wealth to combat tax evasion and fraud.
Story By: Michael Abayatey
