Julius Debrah urges Ghanaians to embrace ethics and accountability as pillars of national development

Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, has called on Ghanaians to place ethics and accountability at the heart of national life, stressing that without a cultural shift towards integrity, the country’s development aspirations will remain elusive.

Speaking at a regional stakeholder engagement on the new National Ethics and Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP) 2026–2032 in Accra, Mr. Debrah urged citizens, civil society, and public servants to treat ethics not merely as policy, but as a national value system.

“Ethics must not be confined to documents and speeches,” he emphasised. “It must become a living cultur,e something that shapes how we govern, how we do business, how we teach, and how we live.”

He described the forthcoming action plan as a blueprint for Ghana’s ethical future, one that must embed integrity, transparency, and accountability into the very structure of institutions and society. Commending stakeholders for their dedication throughout the consultation process, from early training sessions to continued dialogues, he noted that their contributions demonstrated what is possible when a common purpose is shared.

But he also spoke bluntly about the challenges ahead. “Corruption is the greatest threat to the Ghana we are trying to build,” he warned, citing data from the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition that estimates annual losses to corruption at US$3 billion double the country’s foreign direct investment inflows.

According to him, such losses deprive citizens of critical services, including education, healthcare, infrastructure, and employment opportunities, while also eroding public trust and undermining democratic governance. “We cannot afford to treat ethics and anti-corruption as secondary. They are foundational. Without them, no vision, no matter how ambitious, can succeed,” he stated.

Mr. Debrah further acknowledged the competing demands on public resources but argued that anti-corruption efforts should be viewed as a developmental investment.

"we will never have enough to build the schools, hospitals, and roads our people deserve. We will never create the decent jobs our youth need. We will never realize the 24-Hour Economy we envision", he stated.

The Executive Director of the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Mary Awelana Addah, stressed that the fight against corruption cannot be left to the government alone but must become a collective societal commitment. She underscored the urgent need for a practical, inclusive, and accountable approach in developing the new strategy.

“This strategy must not simply be a statement of ideals,” she said. “It should reflect practical and measurable indicators that every citizen can track to ensure accountability and delivery.”

Ms. Addah revealed that over 400 multi-stakeholder institutions across all regions would be engaged to ensure the strategy reflects the needs and voices of the Ghanaian people. “This must be a national conversation. Corruption doesn’t affect only a few; it affects us all,” she emphasised. “That is why we are committed to ensuring no voice is silenced, no community is excluded, and no citizen is left behind.”

The forum, convened participants from civil society, the private sector, religious bodies, and other actors who have been instrumental in Ghana’s governance and anti-corruption efforts.

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