Fight against corruption: Denmark gives Ghana thumbs-up, calls for more action

The Danish government has praised Ghanaian government for their the fight against wastage, and misuse of public funds.

According to her, the establishment of the Office of Special Prosecutor (OSP), is a “great step in fighting corruption”.

The Danish Ambassador to Ghana, Tove Degnbol speaking on Metro TV’s current affairs programme, added that even though the work of the Auditor-General has improved over the period, post-reporting interventions remain unimpressive.

Denmark has consistently performed tops on the global anti-corruption Index compiled by Transparency International as non-corrupt nation and this the country’s envoy to Ghana said does not happen on silver platter.

“Consistently Denmark has made it number 1 or 2 on the Corruption Index as the least corrupt nation and this happens because we see government money as public funds, and therefore exercise prudent measures, transparency and accountability to achieve that”, Ambassador Degnbol explained.

She commended ongoing efforts to digitize and automate payment systems but said government “ought to be tough on corruption to make it unattractive”, re-echoing the argument that corruption seriously undermines development and progress.

Ghana and Denmark have related for centuries.

Between 1658 and 1850, Denmark is said to have colonised the then Gold Coast and built the Christianborg Castle at Osu in 1659.

The two nations maintained cordial diplomatic relations in Post-independence and for last 25 years, Denmark supported Ghana under a Development Co-operation arrangement that saw Ghana’s health, water, sanitation, roads, governance and civil society sectors receiving significant financial support.

Upon attainment of Lower Middle-Income status few years ago, Denmark begun a phase-out of her development aid and according to Ambassador Degnbol, her country is working tireless to promote trade instead.

“Support for SMEs and Tax Administration is our current focus. We are helping the Ghana Revenue Authority and the Mining sector to regularise to raise more revenue”, she told Harriet Nartey, host of the programme.

She said as part of many interventions to address the sanitation challenges facing the country, Denmark is supporting the construction of a Treatment Plant for Sewage in Accra.

The Scandinavian nation is the 5th most developed nation in the world and a home to hundreds of Ghanaians who are either studying, working or living Copenhagen and other cities.

Diplomatic Affairs airs on Metro TV every Tuesday at 8.30pm.