Traditional authorities asked to demand accountability from public officers

The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), has called on traditional authorities and other opinion leaders in the country to demand accountability and transparency from public officers, to minimize corruption and to enhance national development .

Mrs. Beauty Emefa Narteh, Communications Officer of the GACC, observed that corruption had remained a great concern for the country, adding that there was perception that the practice was high in the country with poor people being the most affected.

She said that “people who are perceived to be corrupt have no regard for authorities, especially at the local level, since they assume and command more power than the leaders in the local and national levels.”

Mrs. Narteh was addressing traditional authorities in Tamale on Tuesday, at a days’ workshop on capacity enhancement on the use of anti-corruption laws with focus on the whistle-blower law.

She noted that corrupt people could easily influence and mobilize citizens against authorities.

Mrs. Narteh said in 2006, the Whistle-blower Act (ACT720) was passed to outline the manner in which individuals may in the public interest disclose information that relates to unlawful or illegal conduct and equally provides for the protection of persons who make these disclosures.

She expressed worry about the low knowledge and education on the whistle-blower law while institutions mandated to handle prospective whistle-blowers were not well equipped.

Mr. Stephen Azantilow, Northern Regional Director for the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), said the whistle-blower law was aimed at fighting or reducing corruption and other forms of impropriety through user friendly and approachable media methods.

He said the whistle-blower law seems to be in conflict with some provisions of the 1992 Constitution, and cited Article 41 of the constitution which makes it mandatory for every citizen to uphold and defend the constitution.

Mr. Azantilow said there was the need for an independent body to handle results of investigations made under the act, instead of the Attorney General (A-G).

Mr. George Amoh, a Resource Person for the workshop, indicated that it was the responsibility of traditional authorities under the whistle-blower’s act to receive disclosures of impropriety and investigate complaints.

He said they were supposed to send disclosures to the A-G within seven days, and assist the whistle-blower to report to other authorities such as the CHRAJ.**