The Coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and OccupyGhana have jointly criticized the anti-corruption strategies proposed by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) ahead of the December 7 elections.
In a statement, the CSOs said the promises made by both parties in their manifestos lack a genuine commitment to combating public sector corruption.
They highlighted the continued delays in passing the Conduct of Public Officers Bill as evidence of this lack of urgency.
According to the CSOs, this delay reflects a broader unwillingness by both the government and Parliament to prioritize anti-corruption measures.
They urged Ghanaians to take a more active role in demanding accountability, as the political parties have shown little interest in addressing corruption effectively.
The CSOs emphasized that real progress in the fight against corruption will require pressure from the public.
Over the years, successive governments have embarked on robust measures to rid the country of corruption.
The Akufo-Addo administration, for example, established the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to deal with this canker.
However, efforts have proved futile as various parameters, such as the Corruption Perception Index (CPI), say Ghana, has failed to make any significant progress.
A UN corruption report on Ghana says Ghanaians from all walks of life paid GH¢5 billion as bribes to public officials to facilitate public service delivery in public institutions in the areas of health, education, transportation, security, and justice delivery in 2021.
According to the report, the prevalence of bribery is highest with police officers topping the charts with 53.2%, followed by Ghana Immigration Service Officers with 37.4%, and Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) Customs officers with 33.6%.