Aqua Safari, Ada: Workshop On Validation Of 2019 Anti-Corruption Report Held

The Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) in collaboration with Accountability, Rule of Law, and Anti-corruption Programme (ARAP) have held the 2019 National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP) Annual Report validation workshop.

The two-day validation workshop held at Aqua Safari, Ada was to generate and briefly look at implementation challenges and also the key achievement from the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP).

The National Anti- Corruption Action Plan (NACAP) was adopted by the Parliament of Ghana through the Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) as an Anti-Corruption policy of Ghana in 2014 but commenced it's implementation in 2015.

Again, NACAP is a strategy which to ensure Ghana is able to implement the United Nations Convention Against Corruption(UNCAC) on, African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption (AUCPCC).

Highlighting the key performance of NACAP over the 5 years, the deputy commissioner of CHRAJ, Mr. Richard Quayson said, modest strides have been made over the years of implementation of the NACAP since 2015 with 8 activities completed and 119 broad activities at various stages of implementation and 8 activities yet to commence.

"NACAP has 135 broad activities and out of the 135 broad activities 119 broad activities are at various stages of implementation with 8 activities completed and 8 yet to commence", he said.

According to him, 2019 was the 5th year of implementation where stakeholders could have met to review the report but due to COVID-19 couldn't meet earlier to generate the report, hence the report should be ready by the end of next month.

He noted that the mid-term review should be held this year, should COVID-19 situation improved other than that it will be held next year.

Having looked at the achievements of NACAP over the past 5 years, Mr. Quayson noted that through NACAP: Awareness of the evils of corruption and the mechanisms for reporting corruption, including whistleblowing, has increased; Digitization of key revenue generation institutions-computerised revenue collection systems that simplify procedures for tax collection and education and reducing opportunities for corruption; Accelerated digitization of the banking and financial industry; Establishment of PR & Communication units of the Judicial Service in all regional capitals.

Also, the Automation of Superior and circuits courts -- The electronic case distribution system(ECDS) of the Judicial Service has been extended to all superior courts

The office of the special prosecutor has been established to add to the legal and institutional architecture for prosecutions of corruption offenses, etc.

NACAP has significantly contributed towards implementation and the realisation of the objectives of the UNCAC and AUCPCC among others:

Ghana, in 2015 and 2019 was reviewed under the UNCAC 1st and 2nd cycle reviews respectively (i.e. prevention and asset recovery) and currently is awaiting the final report.

Ghana in 2019 participated in the review and implementation of chapters II and IV of the UNCAC on Algeria and finalised the full report on the review of Indonesia within the same period, etc.