State agencies must have framework to fight corruption

Mrs Linda Ofori-Kwafo, Executive Secretary of the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition, has called on government and state agencies to put in place a well detailed framework in fighting corruption to minimize the canker.

She said the lack of existence of this framework has made the country ineffective in fighting corruption and also placed a hindrance in the nation’s development.

The Executive Secretary was speaking at a symposium organized in Accra by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) and Citizen Movement against Corruption (CMaC) to make state agencies more effective in fighting against corruption.

Mrs Ofori-Kwafo said if Civil Society Organizations as well as state agencies wished to see corruption minimized, then, there was the need for government to put in more resources to enable Anti-Corruption agencies such as NACB to function as it should, as far as fighting corruption was concerned.

She noted that Ghana has made much effort in fighting corruption but there were still gaps, which needed to be addressed.

She said: "Ghana is more strong on paper in terms of the laid down plans and programmes in fighting corruption, but when it comes to implementing and prosecuting people, Ghana has not been effective in that area and it needs to be looked at critically, to move the country forward."

Mr Tuinese Amuzu, Lawyer and Steering Committee member, CMaC, said corruption must be dealt with on a personal level with strong institutional framework against corruption as it starts from the home, community and the country at large.

He noted that, civil society organizations must ensure to use their social tools to fight the canker to allow development thrive.

Mr Amuzu emphasized the need for an independent prosecutor and placing people with high moral and ethical standards in positions to make concrete decisions to the benefit of all.

Such people, he said, should be paid from the consolidated fund in other not for them to feel incapacitated when they take such decisions.