GII urges Government to pass Conduct of Public Officers Bill to tackle corruption
According to GII, these legislative measures are essential in bolstering the legal framework surrounding asset declaration, conflict of interest regulations, and penalties for violations.
The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) has urged the government to expedite the passage of the Conduct of Public Officers Bill and the Internal Audit Agency Bill.
According to GII, these legislative measures are essential in bolstering the legal framework surrounding asset declaration, conflict of interest regulations, and penalties for violations.
The Conduct of Public Officers Bill is designed to enhance transparency and accountability among government officials, while the Internal Audit Agency Bill aims to strengthen the agency’s ability to conduct lifestyle audits and address concerns related to unexplained wealth.
GII stressed that enacting these laws is critical in combating corruption and fostering good governance in the country.
The call from GII, which represents the Ghana chapter of Transparency International (TI), comes amid a decline in Ghana’s ranking on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). In 2024, the country scored 42 out of 100, dropping from 43 in the previous year.
A statement issued by GII on February 11, 2025, regarding the CPI report, emphasized that Ghana’s continued low performance—remaining below the global average score of 50—indicates that corruption remains a significant governance challenge and impacts public trust in government institutions.
GII asserted that the country’s stagnation in the CPI rankings should serve as a wake-up call for the government to undertake urgent reforms.
To address the issue, GII outlined several recommendations, including granting the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament stronger enforcement powers and establishing a Budget and Fiscal Analysis Department (BFAD) to improve financial discipline and prevent the misuse of public funds.
Additionally, the organization proposed the creation of a specialized court with trained personnel dedicated to handling corruption-related cases, similar to Tanzania’s approach. GII also emphasized the need to depoliticize public sector appointments by implementing a merit-based recruitment system under the supervision of an independent commission.
GII reiterated that addressing these issues through legal and institutional reforms would significantly improve Ghana’s anti-corruption efforts and restore public confidence in governance.
