Corruption is the greatest threat to Ghana’s development ambition — Chief of Staff

Chief of Staff Julius Debrah has described corruption as the single biggest threat to Ghana’s growth and development plans.

He said while President John Dramani Mahama is determined to build a resilient economy with jobs and improved infrastructure, the nation is losing about US$3 billion every year to corrupt practices.

This, Mr. Debrah noted, is more than double the US$1.5 billion the country receives annually in foreign direct investment.

Speaking at the launch of stakeholder engagements on the National Ethics and Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NEACAP), on Monday, September 16, he observed that the drain undermines efforts to provide essential services.

“Ghana is open for business and seeking strategic investment, but let us be honest, corruption is the greatest threat to this ambition,” he said.

“That figure is twice the amount of our yearly foreign direct investment inflows. This loss deprives us of the very resources we need to build schools, hospitals, roads and create decent jobs for our youth.”

He urged Ghanaians to see the anti-corruption plan as an investment, not a cost, and called for bold, practical measures to make ethical behaviour a national culture.

“If we fail to protect our resources, we will never have enough to build the schools, hospitals and roads our people deserve. Ethics must be central to the new plan, not just as policy, but as a national culture,” he stressed.