Use social media to report corrupt practices

Mrs Beauty Emefa Narteh, the acting Executive Secretary of Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), has urged Ghanaians to use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to monitor and report acts of corruption within public institutions.

She said the pervasive nature of corrupt practices in ‘very high profile and sensitive’ sections of the society demanded the use of ICT and other social media platforms to effectively manage the scourge.

Mrs. Narteh, who was briefing participants at an Anti-Corruption workshop in Cape Coast, explained that ICT and social media had become indispensable tools that could be used to fight corruption because it served a larger population.

The workshop, which formed part of the project: “Accountable Democratic Institutions and Systems Strengthening (ADISS)” is being implemented by a Consortium, comprising Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Ghana, Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) and SEND Ghana.

The four-year project, initiated in 2014, and funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID, aims at renewing and building upon ongoing efforts at reducing corruption.

It is being implemented in 50 districts nationwide, including Cape Coast, Assin North, Agona West, Mfantseman and Efutu, all in the Central Region.

The project is expected to, among others, lead to an increased civil society engagement in effective direct lobbying, law reform advocacy and the use of anti-corruption reporting mechanisms by citizens.

The three-day workshop is on the theme: “The use of ICT and Social Media Advocacy for legal reforms to promote monitoring and reporting acts of corruption”.

Mrs. Narteh noted that corruption in the country resulted from failed systems and stressed the need for stakeholders to play their respective roles to be able to effectively fight the canker.

She entreated Government officials and Civil servants holding top positions to do thorough checks before appending their signatures to contracts and other relevant documents to save themselves from causing financial losses to the State.

She expressed the hope that the workshop would equip participants with the necessary skills to report and document corruption in public offices through accessible and innovative Information, Communication and Technology.

The participants were taken through how to operate the computer, working with Microsoft word and excel, creating an email account, how to access the internet as well as the challenges and limitations to the use of the internet.

They were also educated on the dangers of using ICT and social media to mis-communicate or give wrong information on issues of national importance.