The report, a survey on citizens’ knowledge, perceptions and experiences of corruption in various institutions in the country, was conducted through the Consortium’s Accountable Democratic Institution Systems Strengthening activity (ADISS), aimed at increasing the accountability of institutions.

Speaking at the launch, Mr Robert P. Jackson, the US Ambassador to Ghana, said the United States was working with ministries, local government bodies and other agencies to strengthen systems to increase transparency.

“We applaud the commitment the government of Ghana has made to fighting corruption,” he said, and expressed the hope that the government would endeavour to deliver on that commitment.

He observed that ordinary citizens were the best defence against corruption.

“I have seen first-hand, the power of committed citizens to hold those in power accountable,” he said.  Ambassador Jackson said he shared the belief that success begat success, therefore “if more people realise they can successfully prevent corruption, waste and fraud, more and more people will refuse to tolerate it.”

He expressed the hope to work with communities and all concerned institutions on the recommendations of the report.  The survey, which sampled 17,996 Ghanaians from 49 districts in the ten regions, revealed that a majority of the respondents perceived corruption to be on the increase, especially in institutions such as the health system, the educational sector, and the police.

Presenting the report, Mr George Osei-Bimpeh, Country Director of SEND-Ghana, said majority of people sampled perceived bribery, embezzlement, fraud, favouritism, extortion and illegal contribution as acts of corruption, while they did not readily believe that conflict of interest, abuse of discretion and payment of facilitation fees were also forms of corruption.

However, 85 per cent of the respondents were reported to have expressed their commitment to engage in the fight against corruption, sharing the belief that ordinary people wielded the power to make a difference.

State institutions that featured in the corruption survey included the Ghana Police Service, the Customs Service, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Passport Office, the Ghana Revenue Authority, the Judicial Service, political parties, among others.

Representatives from these institutions presented to the gathering, measures they had employed to combat corruption in their various institutions.  Funded by the USAID, the GII Consortium, comprised of the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) and SEND-Ghana, conducted the detailed survey that sought the perceptions and actual experiences of Ghanaians on corruption.

The report also showed that those who perceived corruption in the various state institutions outnumbered those who had actually experienced it.  The launch was attended by representatives of state institutions, political actors, government representatives and civil society groups who discussed the details of the report.