The Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU),the Police and the Immigration Service top the list of the most corrupt public agencies in the country, a survey by the Centre for Democracy and Development(CDD) has revealed.
The survey further revealed that out of 1,500 people interviewed in households, 500 in business enterprises and 1000 public officials countrywide who had made contacts with these institutions recently, 87% mentioned that they had paid bribes to the MTTU, while 77% mentioned CEPS as receiving bribes from them. 67% of the respondents said the same for the regular Police, with 62% mentioning the Ghana Immigration Service(GIS).
The report was released as part of activities at a ceremony at the Accra International Conference Centre yesterday to launch Ghana Anti- Corruption Coalition. Professor Gyimah Boadi who presented highlights of the survey said public agencies, which are rated very low in terms of honesty and integrity, are the MTTU, regular Police, government ministers, political parties, CEPS and the Passport Office.
Others are the Judiciary, metropolitan and district assemblies, the Ministry of Finance and the Lands Commission, he said. "It is interesting to note that CHRAJ, NGOs, religious bodies and the Armed Forces are among institutions rated as the most honest and highest in integrity", he said.
Professor Gyimah Boadi noted that low salaries and bad internal management practices are some of the causes of corruption. He suggested the strengthening of institutional reforms, creation of a corruption reporting mechanism and increase in public awareness of official anti- corruption measures as ways to curb the problem.
The Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama who launched the GACC expressed the government's determination to confront corruption, adding that this was confirmed in the Inaugural Speech of the President when he committed the NPP government to a policy and practice of "zero tolerance" of corruption. "The control of corruption is central to our key goal of creating prosperity and reducing poverty," he said.
The Vice President said the Executive branch of government has a special responsibility to provide leadership and to set a positive example by preventing and fighting corruption. "The elaboration of a code conduct for top - level government appointees and the creation of an office of accountability within the executive office to implement the code of conduct after it has been adopted are manifestations of our commitment," he added.
Mr. Peter Harrold, Country Director of World Bank said fighting corruption is not the responsibility of CHRAJ and SFO alone, adding that all groups of society benefit from more accountable governance and therefore should contribute to curb corruption. He pledged World Bank's support to agencies and people determined to address the issue in order to improve the situation.
