Dr. Oppong Koranteng Grabs Global Anti-corruption Excellence Award

A Ghanaian has been recognised for his relentless contributions to the fight against corruption.

Dr Roger Oppong Koranteng, a Commonwealth Secretariat Adviser, was at the weekend decorated with the global Anti-corruption Excellence Award.

Dr Koranteng decorated with the 'Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award,' (innovation) for his work on tackling corruption in both Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth countries.

The Award ceremony held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and monitored by the Ghana News Agency indicated that, the award was instituted in November 2015 to recognise those who have contributed to the global campaign against corruption.

They are awarded annually on International Anti-Corruption Day to winners in four categories: academic research and education, youth creativity and engagement, innovation, and lifetime achievement.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency after the award, elated Dr Koranteng said, 'It is an honour to receive this global acknowledgement.

'I am grateful to the Commonwealth Secretariat, and in particular the Right Honourable Patricia Scotland, Commonwealth Secretary-General, for providing me the opportunity and platform to do the Anti-Corruption work.

'I would like to dedicate this award to the Commonwealth Anti-Corruption Agencies, who took on the challenging job of tackling corruption in difficult circumstances.'

Dr Koranteng received the global prestigious award from His Royal Highness Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Hamad Al-Thani, Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and UN Secretary-General, representative and UNODC Executive Director, Mr Yury Fedotov in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on December 7 2018.

The award ceremony was organised by the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Centre (ROLACC) in Doha, Qatar with the support of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Other recipients are: Dr Robtel Neajai Pailey of Liberia and Prof. Jason Sharman of the United Kingdom for Anti-Corruption Academic Research and Education; Accountability Lab (America) and Fernanda Angelica Flores Aguirre (Mexico) for Anti-Corruption Youth Creativity and Engagement Award; and PNG Phones Against Corruption (Papua New Guinea) Innovation.

The rest are Former Nigerian anti-corruption official Nuhu Ribadu, and World Bank group's Vice President of integrity Leonard F. McCarthy of South Africa for Anti-Corruption Lifetime/Outstanding Achievement Award.

A brief profile of Prof. Koranteng available to the Ghana News Agency indicates that he holds a PhD (Public Policy and Governance).

Dr Koranteng, has been working on governance and corruption issues in his role as Adviser and Head of Public Sector Governance at the Commonwealth for over a decade.

In that time, he has established vibrant networks of anti-corruption agencies in Commonwealth Africa and the Caribbean, which promote inter-agency collaboration and learning through the sharing of experiences and best practices.

In 2013 Dr Koranteng was responsible for establishing the Commonwealth Africa Anti-Corruption Centre in Botswana, which is the prime vehicle for building and strengthening the capacity of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Commonwealth Africa.

He is now working with the African Development Bank to enhance the capacity of the Francophone Anti-Corruption Agencies, through training and peer-to-peer learning as well as annual review meetings.

In terms of Anti-Corruption Capacity Development Programmes, Dr Koranteng has delivered numerous international, regional and in-country training programmes.

Since 2008, Dr Koranteng has delivered over 120 anti-corruption capacity development programmes around the world - Africa, Caribbean, Asia and Pacific countries.

His pro bono trainings, workshops and seminars are always over-subscribed.

Dr. Koranteng has researched and published on Governance and Anti-Corruption and has taken numerous assignments around the world.

Dr. Koranteng has, thus, demonstrated a sustained commitment to the fight against corruption, through visioning, establishing, operationalising, designing and delivering training programmes at the regional Anti-Corruption Centre in Botswana and in countries across the global south.

He has over the years' piloted, encouraged, advocated, and guided national Anti-corruption Agencies in their effort to fight corruption.

His untiring effort, foresight, professionalism, hard work and commitment to the cause of anti-corruption work, has immensely benefitted the Anti-Corruption Agencies around the world.

Dr Koranteng, who is also an Associate Professor, has been working with the Government of Grenada, the Integrity Commission and the Ministry of Public Administration to operationalise a regional training Centre in Grenada to enable him to build capacity of Anti-Corruption Bodies in the Commonwealth Caribbean.

He has from the University of Birmingham, UK; MA Degree (Public Policy & Administration); from Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, Netherlands; Post-Graduate Diploma in Public Administration, GIMPA, Ghana; Post-Graduate Diploma in Environmental Studies, University of Oslo, Norway; and BA (Hons.) University of Ghana, Legon.

---GNA