Combating Corruption: NCCE holds a National Dialogue to Discuss the Way Forward

The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has organised the first national dialogue in Accra, as part of a series of activities under the project, “Strengthening the Rule of Law and the Fight against Corruption in Ghana’, It is aimed at deliberating on effective ways of nipping corruption in the bud, the dialogue was guided by the theme, “Empowering Citizens, Promoting Accountability”.

The event drew scores of attendees from various institutions (both public and private), including the security services, Civil Society Organisations, civil and public servants with the various ministries, Academia, as well as students and members of NCCE’s Civic Education Clubs in some tertiary institutions.

With the renowned broadcaster, Kafui Dey, as the Moderator, discussions were spearheaded by known voices who have, over the years, championed the fight against corruption in their various fields, namely, the Chairman of the Advisory Board Against Corruption, Hon. Kwami Edem Senanu, the Executive Director of Transparency International, Ghana, Madam Mary Awelana Addah, and a former Dean of the University of Ghana Business School, Prof. Justice Bawole.

The apt responses from the discussants stirred up the atmosphere, charging attendees to equally express their varied opinions on the canker of corruption, while raising some concerns to seek clarity on certain submissions made by the panelists.

In all the submissions made and the numerous opinions shared, one thing remained certain: corruption is a dangerous menace that has permeated the fabric of every sector of our economy, as a country, among all social and religious classes of the citizenry; from the rich to the poor, the educated to the uneducated, the believers to the unbelievers, the old to the young, and what have you. It rests in the bosom of every well-meaning citizen of Ghana to, in their little ways and spaces, take steps to curb the danger called corruption, as it poses a threat to our very existence as a people.

The national dialogue is captured under the Participation, Accountability, and Integrity for a Resilient Democracy (PAIReD) Programme, which is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), co-financed by the European Union (EU) and Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and implemented by GIZ in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance and other partners in Ghana, to promote good governance and foster accountability.