NCCE Anti-Corruption And Accountability Train Lands In Nadowli

The Nadwli District National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has undertaken public sensitisation forums for identifiable groups including faith-based organisations to highlight the importance of observing tenets of accountability, rule of law and anti-corruption.

The activities in the District followed after the NCCE head office rolled out public education on accountability, rule of law and anti-corruption programme (ARAP) in the country's 216 districts.

Mr Emmanuel Der Tambile, the Nadowli District Director of NCCE, said in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency in Wa, the Upper West Region on Wednesday that the engagement was aimed at promoting good governance by reducing acts of corruption and improving accountability.

Corruption was defined as abuse of power entrusted to persons in positions of trust, which covered bribery, nepotism, fraud, embezzlement, looting, kickbacks, favouritism, moonlighting etc.

More than 2,500 people from various faith based organisations and identifiable groups were targeted for the sensitisation programme to fight corruption menace, according to the statement.

The participants were entreated to be careful of acts of corruption in society and to stand firm by condemning persons who engaged in the evil act, saying: 'Reject it, resist it and report acts of corruption witnessed in your daily lives.'

The government has put in place measures to ensure whistle blowers (persons who reported acts or cases of corruption) were adequately protected and rewarded, the statement said.

The public education ensured people complied with rule of law and deepened public understanding on effects of corruption and the need for citizens to make concerted efforts in the fight against social evils that had bedevilled Ghana.

The engagement, funded by the European Union witnessed several programmes being organised by the NCCE to engage the people of Nadowli District on issues relating to the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACP).

Mr Tambile said in the statement that 'money is not the only tool often used by corrupt people, but valuable goods or gifts such as land.'

Also included were sexual favours, promises of promotions, undue advantages; award of contracts to family members, friends and party faithful; employment and appointment of family members, friends and party faithful; employment and appointment of family members, friends and the use of public assets, staff and time for private gain are some of the tools used by corrupt persons in our society.

The negative consequences of corruption undermine growth, Mr Tambile said, since monies for developmental purposes often ultimately landed into individual pockets at the expense of the public wellbeing.

'Corruption retards growth, undermines democracy and good governance, compromises the quality of social infrastructure, causes low productivity, destructs competition and capacity of individuals to perform well, destruction of the environment, poor quality of service delivery, abandonment of developmental projects among others,' he added.