Citizens to be rewarded for reporting corruption
Mr Abdul-Kudus Hussein, Communication Officer of the Ghana Anti-corruption Coalition (GACC) has indicated that mechanisms would be put in place to reward citizens who report on corrupt practices.
He said corruption related activities must be reported and investigated by appropriate authorities, which would help eradicate the canker in Ghana.
Mr Abdul-Kudus was speaking in Tamale on the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) forum in collaboration with the Ghana Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) and Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) with funding from the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA).
He stated that, the Whistle blowers Act offered protection against victimisation as well as financial reward to citizens who reported acts of corruption without fear.
He said, the main objective of the forum was to educate Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Private sector players, the Media, Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Religious groups, Political parties and other relevant stakeholders on the mandates and operational structures of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) as enshrined under the OSP Act. (ACT 959, 2017).
He said it was the duty of the Special Prosecutor to investigate and prosecute cases of alleged corruption and corruption offenses under the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663) as well as investigate allegations of corruption related offenses under the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (ACT 29) implicating public officers, politically exposed persons in the private sector involved in the commission of offence.
Mrs Beauty Emefa Narteh, Executive Secretary of the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition said citizens should think of the Whistle blowers Act as a positive strategy rather than a negative one since it was designed to eliminate corruption.
She said citizens should ensure that evidence was provided per complaints in order to make investigations easy.
Mr Gilbert Borketey, General Manager for Parliamentary News Africa, encouraged citizens to involve themselves in corruption reportage in Ghana to lessen corruption related activities in the political, economic and social sectors.
He said without individual participation, the political leaders would remain corrupt in the country at all times and stressed the need for citizens to engage their Members of Parliament (MPs) to discuss the fight against corruption.
Source: GNA