87% of Ghanaians unconcerned about corrupt practices

The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) has expressed concern about the disinterest among Ghanaians in reporting corruption.

An official of the Initiative, Mr George Amo, said more than 87 per cent of the population simply appeared unconcerned about exposing corrupt practices because they were uncertain that action would be taken against the offenders.

It was to help deal with this attitude that GII, the local chapter of Transparency International, has established an Advocacy and Legal Advice Centre.

This is meant to provide avenue for victims or witnesses of corrupt practices to lodge complaints with the appropriate institutions for redress.

Mr Amo was addressing a day’s workshop to create public awareness and draw support in the fight to bring down the canker at Juaso in the Asante-Akim South District.

Attending were head teachers, Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs), School Management Committees (SMCs) and school children.

He spoke of the need for the people to hold the government accountable and advocated the protection of whistleblowers.

He called on PTAs, SMCs and school heads to work together to ensure that funds allocated to schools were properly accounted for.

He said the decision to include the pupils in the workshop was to help inculcate the sense of transparency and accountability in them.

Mr De-graft Fokuo, District Chief Executive, entreated head teachers to involve PTAs and SMCs in the disbursement of the capitation grant to promote prudent management of the money.

He cautioned against the practice where some head teachers inflated enrolment figures of schools just for the purpose of attracting more funds under the capitation grant and called for the punishment of the culprits.