NCCE calls on citizenry to demand accountability from leaders

Ms Dorcas Atia, the Talensi District Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has called on the public to boldly demand accountability from duty bearers.

She said failure for the citizens to consistently check on the activities of their leaders has over the years bred corruption and led to the underdevelopment of the society.

The District Director was speaking to residents of Yameriga Community in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region, at a community durbar on public accountability and environmental governance, organized by the NCCE as part of the Accountability, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (ARAP) with funding from the European Union (EU).

“Corruption is corroding the gains of the economy and the country loses huge sums of money and resources through this canker, partly because of the failure of citizens to demand accountability from duty bearers”, she said.

She said for the country to end corruption and minimize its impact, there is the need for all citizens to check the activities of people in leadership positions and boldly report cases of corrupt acts to the appropriate authorities for action to be taken.

The District Director said corruption could be noticed in every sector of the economy including education, employment, and implementation of government flagship programmes among others and has adversely affected the wellbeing and growth of the country.

Mr Edmond Alagpulinsa, the Regional Principal Investigator at the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), said corruption unchecked would create a hopeless society, hence the need for it to be curtailed.

He said it is the right and the responsibility of all citizens to help fight corruption by willingly reporting, naming and shaming people who are indulged in acts of bribery and corruption.

Mr Alagpulinsa said laws and Acts like the Whistle-Blowers Act of 2006, Act 720, were being enacted to protect people who fought acts of corruption and urged the public to boldly report acts of corruption to the mandated institutions.

He mentioned CHRAJ, Office of the Special Prosecutor, Attorney General, Ghana Police Service, traditional authorities, local authorities and others as institutions one could report cases of alleged corruption to for proper investigation and prosecution.