The Kassena-Nankana West District Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has engaged chiefs and people of the Kazigu community in the Upper East Region on the need to join forces in fighting corruption.
Addressing a community durbar at Kazigu on Monday, the District Director of the NCCE, Mr Robert Danpare, stressed that corruption was crippling the potentials of the economy and creating underdevelopment in all spheres of life.
The District Director told the chiefs and people that the phenomenon could only be mitigated if all citizens assisted the mandated anti-corruption institutions by boldly reporting people involved in alleged corrupt acts for investigation and prosecution.
The sensitisation programme on Public Accountability and Environmental Governance, organised by the Commission with funding support from the European Union (EU), formed part of the Accountability, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (ARAP).
Mr Danpare who indicated that the phenomenon if not checked now would continue to hamper the general development and wellbeing of the country, encouraged the citizens to be more concerned about the problem and to expose such ills and fraudulent practices in the society.
The Director also advised the citizens to adhere to good environmental and sanitation practices to protect the natural resources such as the water bodies, land as well as build Water, Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) facilities including toilets to help curb open defecation .
The Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) in charge of the Kassena-Nankana Municipal and Kassena-Nankana West District, Mr Issahaku Abdul-Jafaru, explained that many people who were willing to fight corruption were afraid of victimisation.
He said the state had passed laws and acts including the Whistle Blowers Act of 2006, Act 720, to help protect the citizens who fought corruption and therefore encouraged the public to be bold enough to report people involved in acts of bribery and corruption.
He said the Whistle Blowers Act was to empower citizens to freely report people who indulge in corrupt activities for investigation and subsequently prosecution and a reward package given to people who blow the whistle.
Mr Abdul-Jafaru referred citizens to lodge complaints of corruption to mandated institutions such as the CHRAJ, the Attorney General, Office of the Special Prosecutor, Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), the Ghana Police Service, the National Media Commission among others for investigation.
The Divisional Chief of Buru-Kazigu, PePaare Kuuri Asangechera Aluah, indicated that corruption was a disease which has no good aspect and underscored the need for all efforts to be made towards fighting it.
He encouraged his subjects to eschew corrupt activities and work towards the total development of the community and the country at large.
FROM SAMUEL AKAPULE, KAZIGU
