The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has called for faster digitalisation of public services, greater transparency in official fees and stronger public education to help reduce demands for bribes by public officials.
Omar Seidu, Deputy Government Statistician, said digital systems could reduce direct interactions between citizens and officials and, in turn, limit opportunities for unofficial payments.
Speaking during a panel discussion on Saturday, August 8, 2026, Mr Seidu cited the Passport Office as an example, saying the introduction of digital services had contributed to a significant decline in bribery demands.
He said government institutions should also clearly publish official fees and explain the procedures for accessing their services. This, he explained, would make it more difficult for officials to exploit citizens who may not know the correct charges.
Mr Seidu further urged authorities to intensify public education so citizens know which services are free, what they are officially required to pay and where to report demands for additional payments.
His comments follow findings from the GSS Governance Series, which showed a significant increase in bribery experiences during the second half of 2025.
According to the survey, the proportion of citizens who reported that public officials demanded extra payments increased from 51 percent in the first half of 2025 to 69 percent between July and December.
The number of citizens who actually paid bribes also increased, from 14.3 percent to 18 percent during the same period.
Despite the increase in bribery experiences, the GSS reported an overall improvement in Ghana’s governance performance in 2025 compared with the previous year.
Mr Seidu said the government had begun responding to the findings, with 10 institutions identified as having significant exposure to bribery risks engaging the GSS to identify vulnerable areas and possible solutions.
He said the Statistical Service would continue monitoring the institutions to determine whether the measures being implemented were producing results.
The latest survey was based on interviews with household heads conducted in the first quarter of 2026 and examined citizens’ experiences between July and December 2025.
Mr Seidu stressed that sustained government action, transparent procedures, digital services and effective reporting systems would be necessary to reverse the rising trend in bribery demands.
