Refusing to report corrupt activities cause of Ghana's stagnation in CPI - Deputy A-G

The Deputy Attorney General, Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, has attributed the stagnation of Ghana in the corruption perception index to the low reporting of corrupt activities by the public.

According to him, corruption is a two-way street that involves both the giver and the receiver of bribes, and both parties can be arrested and prosecuted if they are reported.

Speaking on Joy News, the deputy A-G noted that many people who engage in or witness corruption are reluctant to report it, for fear of being implicated or victimised. Instead, they resort to spreading rumours and allegations, without providing any evidence for the anti-corruption agencies to work with.

“I see reporting as a key factor in corruption cases. In fact corruption is a two way affair, we have the giver and we have the receiver. The giver, when reported, can be arrested. The same applies to the receiver,” he said.

“So, if the giver realises that upon complaining, he can be prosecuted, the only thing he can do is to keep quiet, go back to his home and tell his friends. The receiver who also wants to escape prosecution will not go and report himself,” he stated.

He continued: “In effect, people are not ready to report corrupt activities but they are comfortable going to the rumour mill just trying to tell others that the system is porous and corrupt without reporting or giving evidence for the agencies to work with.”

The attorney general, added also that, because of the growth in the media landscape in Ghana, rumours are quick to find their way into the public domain.

“If you look at the media landscape from 1992 till date, the total number of TV stations, radio and newspapers have increased. Because of that expansion in the media landscape, every rumour finds its way into the media and it feeds into the rumour mill. So, if you are comparing this year to 2010, you may have to look at the dynamics.

NW/OGB

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