Commit to corruption fight with adequate funding – CHRAJ to government

The Deputy Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Richard Quayson, has tasked government to back its commitment to the fight against corruption with adequate funding.

Mr Quayson said political parties had won general elections with much commitment to the fight against corruption yet the country is unable to invest 1 per cent of its annual budget in the fight against the canker.

He noted most institutions championing the fight against corruption were not adequately resourced to carry out their mandate.

Mr Quayson was speaking at the launch of Pensplusbyte METOGU Anti-Corruption Report in Accra.

METOGU project with the slogan “keeping the pressure on,” seeks to inform and educate citizens about the assurances and policy interventions by government in their quest to fight corruption.

The 50-page report further seeks the views of citizens on how well government was faring in delivering on its 2016 manifesto promises on how to curb corruption.

Data were collected from four regions namely Volta, Ashanti, Western and Greater Accra.

Mr Quayson noted that Civil Society Organisations, public and had, intensified the fight against corruption

Private institutions but cases of corruption were reported almost on a daily basis.

He noted that if the messages on corruption were not sinking deep into society, then it meant that institutions in the fight against corruption were not getting things right.

The Deputy Commissioner of CHRAJ appealed to CSOs and institutions championing the fight against corruption to re-strategise to curb the canker.

He said citizens must be vigilant in their watchdog role to know how the nation was governed to ensure rapid development.

Mr Kwami Ahiabenu, Executive Director of Pensplusbyte, noted that corruption was an abstract concept but a grave reality.

According to Mr Ahiabenu persons who benefit from corruption were not resting, adding that they were looking for ways and means to commit their next act by ensuring that “their action and inaction in this direction go undetected.”

Mr Ahiabenu said corruption had further changed, adding that there was the need for more citizens involvement.

He recounted that one of the objectives of the research was aimed at mobilisation and stimulation of collective action at all levels to support the fight against corruption.

Mr Ahiabenu said his organisation was going to hold activities in the four regions where data were collected for METOGU report to discuss with stakeholders the recommendations of the research.

“We have clear advocacy to ensure that key ideas from this research can influence policy and enable change to happen.”