Citizens encouraged to stand up against corruption - NCCE

The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has encouraged citizens to stand up against all forms of bribery and corruption in society.

Mr Richmond Okoaben-Mensah, the Ablekuma North Municipal Director of the commission made the call during an interaction with staff of the Ablekuma North Municipal Assembly in Accra on a programme dubbed "Accountability, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption" (ARAP).

The ARAP Mr. Okoaben-Mensah explained, was a joint initiative between the Government of Ghana and the European Union (EU) and on the theme “Citizens for Transparency and Accountability”.

He said it was being organised by the NCCE in collaboration with various stakeholders including; the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the Ghana Police Service, Legal Aid, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and the media among others.

Mr Okoaben-Mensah said corruption was a “societal canker" and must be tackled with all the force that the nation could muster.

The government alone he posited could not fight the canker stressing that, it was the "moral responsibility” of all citizens to join the fight.

He mentioned extreme poverty, low salaries, greed and dishonesty, lack of ethical standards or code of conduct, weak laws and enforcement of existing ones and " get rich quick attitude " of citizens as some of the causes of corruption in the society.

The effects of corruption Mr Okoaben-Mensah said were under development, impediment in business growth, escalation of cost of business putting reputation at risk.

He said about 31 businesses including; traders and garages associations, schools, churches and mosques were visited.