Ghana government commits to full funding for anti-graft agencies and initiatives

Mr. Julius Debrah, the Chief of Staff at the Presidency, has reaffirmed government’s commitment to fund and support anti-graft agencies and initiatives.

Mr.  Debrah stated that the previous National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP) from 2015 to 2024, was hampered by underfunding and weak political commitment.

The Chief of Staff said this   at a regional stakeholder engagement in Accra   to finalize the new National Ethics and Anti-Corruption Strategy and Implementation Plan (NEACASIP).

The event brought together various formal and informal stakeholders to craft a blueprint for Ghana’s ethical future.

Mr. Debrah highlighted the severity of corruption, stating that it posed the single greatest threat to President John Dramani Mahama’s vision of a resilient economy.

He cited data from the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition, which estimates that the nation loses an astounding $3 billion annually to corruption, a figure twice the country’s foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow of approximately $1.5 billion.

“This staggering loss deprives us of the very resources we need to build schools, hospitals, roads, and create decent jobs for our youth.” Mr. Debrah stated.

Mr. Debrah stated that combating corruption is not a competing priority but a fundamental investment for the nation’s future.

He added that corruption also eroded investor confidence, bred inefficiency in institutions, and undermined the trust that held Ghana’s democracy together.

The new NEACASIP, he explained, had been placed directly under the Office of the President to ensure its implementation is not merely monitored but actively prioritized and resourced.

“Yes, government resources are limited. We face daily demands to fund health, education, roads, housing and other critical sectors, but we must recognize that corruption prevention is not a competing priority. It is a fundamental one that ought to be achieved, “he said.

Mr. Debrah emphatically stated that funding anti-corruption initiatives is not a cost but an investment. “It is the surest way to safeguard our limited resources and optimize them for development,” he said

It is the only way to ensure that Ghana’s transformation is a delivered reality and not just a promise.

He also stressed the importance of ethics as a national culture, not just a policy, citing recent media exposures that show “ethical decay is not confined to our institutions only.”

Mr. Debrah urged the stakeholders to be “candid, practical, and bold,” in their contributions, encouraging them to “disagree to agree” to ensure the final plan on anti-corruption is a “living tool that transforms governance and resource integrity to our nation,” and not just another document on a shelf.

Source: GNA

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