Anti-corruption newsletter launched

Accra, Nov. 25, GNA - Corruption seen traditionally as criminal offence is now a development problem, demanding effective multi-stakeholder collaboration to combat it, Mrs Leonora Kyerematen, a Governance Expert, said on Friday at the launch in Accra of a newsletter, "Anti Corruption Dialogue".

She reiterated the need for co-operation among public institutions, the private sector, civil society and intergovernmental agencies to deal with corruption. She said corruption was all embracing and governments alone could not be expected to deal effectively with it and all its ramifications.

Mrs Kyerematen, Co-ordinator of the National Governance Programme (NGP), said the world's attention was now fully turned to the detrimental effects of corruption on development.

She expressed the hope that support from development partners for the publication of the newsletter by the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), would ensure that it would always be available, as a key part of the battle against corruption in Ghana.

The first issue of the 18-page quarterly highlights the control of corruption, how a bill becomes a law, the ethics of whistle blowing and combating roadside corruption. It also features an interview with the Administrator of the District Assemblies' Common Fund.

"Advocacy can be useful to a point, but it must then demonstrate relevance and effect. We ought to position advocacy to deliver substantive alternatives," Mrs Kyerematen said.

"We must also provide dispassionate analysis of policy formulation and implementation, with a view not only to condemning, but also demonstrating the value of the suggested alternatives."

She called on the GACC to monitor the activities of its constituent members as a way of providing a reality check. She said capacity building was relevant to understand and appreciate intricacies in the difficult job of dealing with corruption.

Ms Shirley Ayokor Botchwey, Deputy Minister of Information, who launched the newsletter, praised the GACC for the publication and said it would create a platform for more discussion on corruption. The Rev. Dr Fred Deegbe, President of the Coalition, said proactive and concerted actions were necessary to stamp out the canker. 25 Nov. 05