Ghana has been ranked 73 out of 180 countries in the 2021 Corruption Perception Index, CPI, released by Transparency International.
The country also scored 43 out of 100 for failing to make progress in the fight against corruption.
A statement released by Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), noted that Ghana’s current performance of 43, which was the same as the 2020 record, leaves much to be desired. It added that a trend analysis of Ghana’s CPI scores over the past decade shows that the country declined by two points.
The 2021 CPI which focuses on corruption, democracy and human rights noted Ghana’s performance vis-a-vis other Sub-Saharan African countries’ average is 33, representing the lowest in the world. 44 countries including Ghana ranked below 50. Seychelles tops the region, scoring 70 followed by Cape Verde (58) and Botswana (55). Others include Equatorial Guinea (17), Somalia (13) and South Sudan (11) which is the lowest in the region.
The CPI statement said the global COVID-19 pandemic has offered opportunities for governments to further expand their executive powers, conceal information from the public and strip away rights. It added that although Ghanaians are known to have taken some measures to address the canker and abuse of public office, impunity still remains a problem. Transparency International’s research shows that Ghana’s score on the Democracy Index has seen a decline between 2015 and 2020 from six point 86 to six point 50 (out of a possible score of 10).
Corruption recommendation
Based on this, the Ghana Integrity Initiative has recommended the enhancement of institutional checks on power of Public oversight bodies including anti-corruption agencies and the supreme audit institution. The Ghana Integrity Initiative said these institutions must operate fully independent from the executive and be well resourced as their mandates stipulate.
The GII also suggested the Empowerment of citizens to hold accountable state agencies responsible for guarding the rights of citizens through investigations into violations of the rights of civil society and media activists as well as human rights defenders. Furthermore, there should be transparency and accountability in political party and campaign financing.
