Youth urged to reject corruption, drive positive change
The Executive Secretary of the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), Mrs Beauty Emefa Narteh, has called on Ghanaian youth to take a personal stand against all forms of corruption, emphasizing that their commitment is vital to securing a brighter and more equitable future.
She said while young people are often the most affected by corruption — facing limited access to education, fewer job opportunities, and diminished trust in public systems, they also have the power to drive change.
She also mentioned that the GACC believes that empowering the youth is essential to creating a fairer and more inclusive Ghana.
Mrs Narteh added that as part of this effort, the GACC launched a nationwide youth-focused anti-corruption campaign, which in 2024 alone reached over 27,000 young people across 33 districts, equipping them with the tools to recognize and resist election-related corruption.
Event
She made these comments during the commemoration of the 2025 African Union Anti-Corruption Day on Friday, July 11, 2025.
African Union Anti-Corruption Day was established to promote the implementation of the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption.
It serves as a platform to raise awareness, assess progress, and renew the continent’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
"Corruption continues to undermine our development, deepen inequality, and erode public trust in institutions," she said.
"In Ghana, the cost is undeniable. The 2023 Auditor-General’s Report revealed that the country lost over GH¢11 billion to financial irregularities, resources that could have transformed education, healthcare, and job opportunities for its citizens," she stressed.
Anti-corruption efforts
She further explained that the GACC is expanding its youth-focused anti-corruption campaign to 40 districts across 16 regions, in line with the African Union’s 2025 theme on justice and reparations.
She said with support from the Hewlett Foundation, the initiative will raise awareness, promote civic engagement, and encourage whistleblowing, and called on all stakeholders — parents, teachers, leaders and institutions to support and protect youth in the fight for transparency and justice.
"It is our collective responsibility to empower our youth to be the generation that is fully committed to the fight against corruption. To all actors, parents, teachers, community leaders, religious institutions, media, public agencies, and civil society, we urge you to stand behind the youth. Let us support and protect them as they take a stand for transparency and justice," she said.
"Finally, I call on the youth of Ghana to rise to the occasion by taking a personal pledge against corruption by committing to the 3Rs of fighting Corruption - Resist, Reject, and Report corruption," she added.
