Ghanaians asked to utilize Whistleblower Act
Superintendent Abraham Apusuyine, Nungua District Police Commander, has called on Ghanaians to utilize the Whistleblower Act to eradicate acts of corruption in the country.
Supt Apusuyine, speaking at a community durbar organized by the National Commission For Civic Education (NCCE), under its Accountability, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Program (ARAP), said Ghanaians are underutilizing the Act because they are not fully aware of its provisions.
The durbar, which was aimed at promoting good governance in the country, by reducing corruption and improving accountability and compliance with the rule of law through blowing of the whistle on corrupt acts, also had the objective of promoting good environmental practices among residents.
Speaking on the theme, “Whistle blowing mechanism and anti-corruption: The role of citizenry, ”he said the Whistle Blowing Act had procedures which citizens must follow to report on impropriety of a public officer to the appropriate authorities.
He said Ghanaians should not be intimidated or keep their silence over reporting corruptible acts to authorities but should rather make good use of the act as it was one of the provisions through which such activities could be reduced in the country.
He added that an act of impropriety could be reported to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), a chief, a police officer, the Narcotic Control Board, the Attorney General Department, family head and other designated institutions.
Supt Apusuyine said whistle blowing was an important tool in the fight against corruption and other forms of unlawful conducts that negatively affected national development adding that a report could be done orally or in a written form therefore anyone could report irrespective of the educational background by recording the complaint
Complaints, he noted, must contain the whistle blower’s full name, the nature of the problem, name of the person involved in the act, time and place, one important thing the person said and a witness.
He urged the public to be bold and report improprieties against public officials and organizations to appropriate authorities for investigation saying they would be protected under the law should they feel threatened as the Whistle Blowers Act provided some immunity to informants.
Madam Wilhelmina Adu-Asamoah, NCCE Krowor Municipal Director, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said the ARAP was to enlighten and empower Ghanaians report impropriety to the appropriate institutions.
Madam Adu-Asamoah added that the programme would enable the citizenry to contribute meaningfully to whistle blowing which would reduce corruption and deepen public accountability in the country as it was time Ghanaians blew the whistle else corruption would get out of hand.
She said “when you reveal impropriety to any authority do not boast to others that you are the one who revealed it because that suspect might be working with others in the community and you will be the next target”.
She also entreated residents to change their attitudes towards waste pollution and learn to segregate waste saying proper solid waste management had become a nagging issue in the country stating that all must contribute towards making their localities clean as that was a central pillar for sustainable development.
The community durbar which was organized with support from the Krowor Municipal Assembly, was also used to engaged social groupings including tailors, beauticians “Akwantufuo Mma Kuo”, persons with disability and students of Nungua Senior High School.
Source: GNA