By Anthony Apubeo, GNA
Sherigu (U/E), Sept. 25, GNA – The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has called on Ghanaians to blow the whistle on corrupt acts to reduce its prevalence and ensure socioeconomic transformation.
It said corruption was eating away the fortunes and progress of the economy and, therefore, all citizens had to employ the Whistle-Blowers Act to expose individuals who engaged in it.
Mr Omar Jafaru Alsadiq, the Bolgatanga Municipal Director of the NCCE, made the call at a community durbar, organized by the Commission, on Accountability and Good Environmental Governance at Sherigu in the Upper East Region.
The programme seeks to empower citizens to understand the adverse effects of bribery and corruption on national development as well as the need to protect the environment to promote healthy living.
The nationwide exercise is also to ensure reduction in corruption and its related activities as well as deepen public accountability for sustainable national development.
It formed part of the Accountability, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (ARAP), being sponsored by the European Union (EU).
Mr. Asadiq indicated that the major reason development projects such as schools, health infrastructure, and roads were poorly executed was because the citizenry failed to demand accountability from duty bearers.
He, therefore, urged community members to employ social auditing as an effective accountability mechanism to ensure projects executed within their jurisdictions had value for money and served the needs of the ordinary person.
He advised members to join the campaign on ending open defecation so as to achieve an environment which is free from health complications.
Mr. Edmond Alagpulinsa, the Regional Principal Investigator at the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), educated participants including chiefs, women groups, school children, persons with disabilities, and the youth on the Whistle-Blowers Act of 2006, Act 720.
He said corruption was damaging and gradually collapsing the economy in all spheres and called on the citizens to join forces with the law enforcement agencies to eradicate the canker.
Mr Alagpulinsa called on Ghanaians to willingly report suspected corrupt cases and individuals to mandated institutions including the Ghana Police Service, Office of the Special Prosecutor, Attorney General, CHRAJ, and the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) for proper investigation and prosecution.
He assured the public of the protection of whistle blowers from victimization as stipulated in the Act adding that a reward package had been instituted to reward them.
GNA
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