Pass Conduct of Public Officers Bill to fight corruption — GII

The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) has called on the government to prioritise the passage of the Conduct of Public Officers and the Internal Audit Agency bills.

These bills, the GII said, were crucial in strengthening the legal framework on asset declaration, conflict of interest and sanctions for non-compliance.

The Conduct of Public Officers' Bill aims to promote transparency and accountability among public officials, while the Internal Audit Agency Bill seeks to empower the agency to conduct lifestyle audits and address corruption-related matters on unexplained wealth.

It emphasised that enacting these bills was vital to address corruption and promote good governance in the country.

Context

The call by the GII, the local chapter of Transparency International (IT) comes amid Ghana's decline in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), with the country scoring 42 out of 100 in 2024, down from 43 in 2023.

“With Ghana's score remaining below the average of 50, it's clear that corruption remains a critical governance issue affecting citizens' perceptions of the government's performance,” a release issued by the GII on the CPI dated February 11, 2025, said.

According to the GII, Ghana's stagnant performance on the CPI should be a wake-up call for the government to implement critical reforms.

Recommendations

Among the recommendations outlined by the GII to reverse the trend was to empower the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament with enforcement authority and establish the Budget and Fiscal Analysis Department (BFAD) to enhance fiscal discipline and prevent mismanagement of public funds.

The organisation further suggested the creation of a dedicated court with well-trained personnel to handle corruption-related cases efficiently, similar to Tanzania's model, depoliticise civil and public services by instituting a merit-based appointment system overseen by an independent commission.

“Develop standardised systems for tracking climate finance flows, expenditures and outcomes at national and local levels,” it said.

The GII also called for the review of the political party financing law by engaging stakeholders to review laws and reduce undue influence on governance as well as the establishment of strong legal protection for individuals who exposed corruption to ensure a safe environment for accountability efforts.