Ghana loses more than US$3 billion every year through corruption, the Deputy Chairman, Operations, of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Mr Samuel Asare Akuamoah, has disclosed.
He said the resources lost through corruption could instead be invested in infrastructure, job creation and essential services, where the demand for development remained high.
Mr Akuamoah made the disclosure in his opening remarks at a Youth Leaders Empowerment Dialogue on “Civic Engagements on the Rule of Law and the Fight Against Corruption” held in Accra last Friday.
He said the scale of the loss should compel Ghanaians, particularly the youth, to take the fight against corruption seriously rather than leave the responsibility to State institutions.
Mr Akuamoah challenged young leaders to turn civic education into action, stressing that anti-corruption engagements should not become ceremonial gatherings where participants listened to speeches and returned home without taking steps to demand accountability.
He urged the youth to champion accountability and the rule of law, saying their participation was critical to protecting public resources and changing the country’s governance culture.
The Executive Director of Transparency International Ghana, Mrs Mary Addah, also challenged the youth to take the lead in the fight against corruption, warning that Ghana could not afford to surrender to cynicism and impunity.
Mrs Addah expressed concern about Ghana’s stagnant performance on the Corruption Perceptions Index between 2020 and 2024, describing the situation as a worrying indication that the country was making insufficient progress in tackling corruption.
She said Ghana had a strong constitutional and institutional framework for promoting the rule of law, transparency, accountability and integrity, but the challenge remained translating those principles into everyday conduct.
Furthermore, Mrs Addah explained that the rule of law was not merely about having laws on the books but also about ensuring that power was exercised within defined limits and subjected to accountability.
She said public officers entrusted with power must remain transparent and accountable, stressing that public office was a responsibility to citizens and not a licence to pursue personal interests.
Mrs Addah urged young people to embrace selflessness, integrity and responsibility, saying doing the right thing should not depend on whether someone was watching.
Panelists at the dialogue urged young people to move beyond participating in civic education programmes and become active champions of accountability.
They encouraged participants to use social media, community engagements and civic education clubs to share accurate information, demand transparency and engage public officials on issues affecting their communities.
The panelists also underscored the importance of understanding the constitution, public procurement processes, the national budget, public financial management and the Right to Information Act.
They maintained that the fight against corruption could not be left to State institutions alone and urged the youth to play an active role in protecting the public purse.
BY NELLY QUARCOOPOME
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