2009 Global Corruption Report out

Accra, Sept. 23, GNA - The 2009 Global Corruption Report has revealed that fighting corruption at the nexus of private and public entities requires a radical change in government's commitment to addressing the problem.

It said prompt investigations and prosecution of alleged corrupt acts as well as strong sanctions for violators constitutes one of the solutions and the approach could be successful only when the political leadership adopts a strong anti-corruption stance.

Mr. Vitus Azeem, Executive Secretary, Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) launching the report in Accra on Wednesday said political will to fight corruption had been the problem with governments, especially those affecting party faithfuls and financiers.

Transparency International, the mother body of GII is launching concurrently the report in several countries around the world. This year's report titled "Corruption and the Private Sector" shows how corrupt practices constitute a destructive force that undermines competition, stifles economic growth and ultimately undercuts the existence of businesses.

According to Mr. Azeem the report documented many cases of the abuse of power for personal gain, to the detriment of owners, investors, employees and society at large by managers of corporate institutions, majority shareholders and other actors.

It also presented evidence of close linkages between business and governments in developing and industrialized countries alike indulging in multiple conflicts of interest and the growing risk of disproportionate influence on the part of corporate lobbying. The report also revealed that in Africa, the informal sector accounted for more than 40 per cent of the economy in many countries; however, lack of legal protection coupled with the desire to dodge regulation makes the sector easy prey for extortion and the solicitation of bribes by corrupt officials.

On the situation in Ghana, it said politicians and public officers collude with the private sector practitioners to enrich themselves. The report recommended that government needed to use new generation innovation tool that placed more emphasis on regulatory capability, actual enforcement and international co-operation and called on civil society to forge much broader and more effective partnership to support corporate integrity.

Mr. Azeem said even though Ghana had put in place an enabling environment for stakeholders to operate, including legislature to enable citizens report cases of corruption more needed to be done especially with the passage of the Freedom of Information Bill.

He cited recent revelations during the public hearing of the Public Account Committee of Parliament in 2007 that the Ministries, Departments and Agencies were not complying with procurement procedures. Mr. Azeem expressed concern about the several Audit Service reports that had not been acted upon.

He admitted that anti-corruption mechanisms were helping to reduce corruption but noted that delays in designing new anti-corruption policies, enacting additional anti-corruption laws to meet new demands and failure to act on report of accountability institution appeared to indicate lack of commitment of the Executive to the anti-corruption course.

Mr. Azeem said Ghanaians must recognize their duty to ensure that anti-corruption laws were enforced, cases of corruption were reported and government was pressured to prosecute such cases. He urged the media to play key role in ensuring that transparency was injected into Ghana's public system. 23 Sept. 09