Corruption affects confidence of foreign investors — CHRAJ

The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has disclosed that corruption-related activities were negatively affecting foreign investment.

Corruption is also fuelling the unemployment rate in the country, especially among the youth who are ready and willing to work but there are no existing jobs, Ms. Fatimata Mahami, the Tema Regional Director for CHRAJ has said.

Ms. Mahami was speaking at the 13^th Edition of the Stakeholders Engagement And Worker's Appreciation Day Seminar of the Tema Regional Office of the Ghana News Agency on the theme: "Is the fight against corruption a mirage or reality, Perspective of CHRAJ" which was monitored by the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) in Tema.

The GNA Tema Stakeholder Engagement is a platform rolled out for state and non-state actors to address national issues and serves as a motivational mechanism to recognize the editorial contribution of reporters toward national development in general and the growth and promotion of the Tema GNA as the industrial news hub.

The engagement also saw Dr. Stephen Ayisi-Addo, Programme Manager, the National AIDS/STI Control Programme who spoke on the topic: "Ghana's HIV strategies in line with the global health strategy for HIV, STI, and Viral Hepatitis; An integrated approach to prevention”.

Ms. Mahami noted that corruption was a threat to national development, dents the democratic credentials of the country, and affects the stability of the nation adding that it usually distorts markets, and curbs economic growth.

She explained that the act does not only discourage foreign investment but also erodes public services and trust in officials.

"Corruption increases the cost of doing business. For instance, if you are in a public office supposed to give people some services then you demand bribes or envelopes whether directly or indirectly you make things difficult just because you want them to give you something.

“It really increases the cost of doing business in the country," she bemoaned.

Ms. Mahami indicated that corruption does not promote economic growth, foreign and domestic investments in the short run hence the need for the citizenry to be diligent in their actions and inactions to end the menace.

The CHRAJ Tema Director said corruption remained a major challenge for the country with its impact on investments and economic growth scaring the country from development.

According to her, corruption in Ghana has limited economic growth by reducing investment activities through the increase of transaction costs, leading to misallocation of resources and undermining functions of policy institutions.

Ms. Mahami said corruption simply means using trusted power for private gains which in the end weakens policymaking and implementation and destroys public confidence in the government.

She indicated that CHRAJ over the years has used a series of approaches to protect integrity and combat corruption hence the establishment of the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP), to fight against corruption and to promote national development among numerous initiatives.

The Tema Director of CHRAJ noted that the Commission had an online portal where people lodge complaints including districts without offices and urged Ghanaians especially stigmatized victims to log onto the site and lodge their complaints.

Ms. Mahami said the cases which were received online were followed up and given equal attention whether it is to address torture, inhuman and degrading treatment meted out against vulnerable members of the society, especially women and children

“Go to the website and lodge a complaint, put your details there, and a focal officer will contact the person for the commencement of the necessary action,” she said.

She urged the public to report corruption and inhuman activities to the Commission to enhance the right of every Ghanaian citizen.

Mr. Francis Ameyibor, the Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Manager in welcoming remarks tasked the media to continue to lead strong advocacy that will make the grounds infertile for corruption to thrive.

He said the fight against corruption will bear no fruit without the active participation of the media in raising awareness of its dangers, both in the public and private sectors and enlightening the citizenry of their duty to combat it.