Trust in anti-corruption fight hinges on institutional action — Sulemana Braimah

The Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Braimah, has urged anti-corruption institutions to take decisive action on corruption exposés to help rebuild public trust and strengthen accountability in Ghana.

Speaking at a public forum on "Restoring Citizens' Trust in the Fight Against Corruption in Ghana: The Role of the Media" in Accra on Wednesday, June 17, Braimah said corruption continues to be a major concern despite several reforms and interventions introduced over the years.

He noted that Ghana has established institutions and policies aimed at fighting corruption, including the Right to Information Act, the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan, the Office of the Special Prosecutor, the Financial Intelligence Centre and other accountability mechanisms.

However, he said findings from the 2025 Afrobarometer survey show that many Ghanaians believe corruption has increased in recent years and have low confidence in institutions responsible for tackling the problem.

According to him, public perception plays a critical role in the anti-corruption fight because it influences citizens' willingness to report wrongdoing and support accountability efforts.

"Despite all these efforts, our citizens remain unconvinced that corruption is being efficiently and effectively addressed," he stated.

Braimah stressed that while the media has a crucial responsibility to uncover corruption, meaningful change can only occur when state institutions act on such revelations.

"Journalism can reveal wrongdoing as we continue to do, but accountability requires that institutions have to act. Leaders should demonstrate integrity, and citizens must remain engaged in demanding change," he said.

The MFWA boss further noted that the country's democratic future depends not only on the existence of institutions but also on the confidence citizens place in them.

He called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to promote integrity, transparency and good governance and also encouraged citizens to remain actively engaged in the fight against corruption.

Meanwhile, the forum brought together representatives from anti-corruption agencies, civil society organisations, development partners, journalists and governance advocates to discuss practical measures for restoring public confidence in Ghana's accountability institutions.